SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS · ethic minorities, to cultural diversity....

PROJECT DOCUMENT

SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF

NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS

A BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

V I E T N A M

Hanoi, May 1998

1. SUMMARY

The project will comprise a national component and two pilot field sites. The national component will include capacity building and support to the project counterpart - the NFPRC - to help it become the pre-eminent national centre for NTFP management and marketing. Work in the two field sites will focus on practical solutions to NTFP conservation, development, management and marketing. The field work in Ha Tinh Province will be undertaken by the Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES) of the University of Hanoi. In Bac Kan, the work will be carried out by the Institute of Ecological Economy (ECO-ECO).

The project will enable NTFP users in the pilot areas to become more effective resource managers so that the biodiversity of the eco-systems can be maintained. The project will establish mechanisms for participation of the NTFP users in forest conservation; facilitate NTFP development; and link users with supportive institutions. A biodiversity monitoring expert will be attached to NFPRC as project Chief Technical Advisor. Lessons learned from the pilot activities will be fed back through the NFPRC to influence government policy and for replication in other areas.

The project will also improve the specific technical, managerial and marketing abilities of groups contributing at each stage in the evolution of an NTFP. Special emphasis will be given to understanding who the NTFP users are; the role they play in the marketing chain; the measures needed to ensure equity in use and to maximise the benefits. A part-time marketing advisor will be attached to the Centre.

The project will also facilitate links between the different users so that the conservation effort and economical benefits are shared and upgraded for each group.

The pilot activities will:

� generate an understanding of current NTFP uses by local communities; management strategies, and the social and

Project title: Sustainable Utilisation of Non-Timber Forests Products - A Biodiversity Conservation and Economic Development Project

Project Objective: Biodiversity and forest conservation through the promotion of ecologically sustainable and economically viable use of NTFPs

Project duration: Three years

Budget: USD 1,659,800

Lead Implementing Agencies: IUCN - The World Conservation Union,

Non-wood Forest Products Research Centre (NFPRC) of the Vietnam Forest Science Institute; Ministry of Agriculture and Development

Pilot Demonstration Sites Ke Go Protected area Buffer Zone, Ha Tinh Province.

Ba Be National Park Buffer Zone, Bac Kan Province

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economic values derived from them; � design improved methods for sustainable harvesting and cultivation of NTFPs; � develop, test and apply a management and organisational framework for sustainable use of selected NTFPs; and, � develop marketing strategies, processing infrastructure and technical skills which will generate cash income for local

communities, while providing incentives for maintaining forest biodiversity.

Both the capacity building of the NTFPRC and the pilot activities in the field will provide a solid foundation for future support to the sustainable use of NTFPs in Vietnam. this three-year project is the first step in a long term strategy for achieving lasting and meaningful improvement in the management of NTFP resources in Vietnam. the steps of this strategy can be summarised as:

1. Learning how to develop and promote effective systems of NTFP management that contribute to forest conservation and rural development

2. Becoming efficient in the way successful models of NTFP management and promotion are implemented 3. Expanding the support to cover a wider geographic area and a range of NTFP issues

This project will contribute experience and lessons related to step 1 in the strategy, and will prepare the responsible agencies to implement the remaining steps of the strategy summarised above.

1. LIST OF ACRONYMS

BAP Biodiversity Action Plan

CDSG NTFP Conservation & Development Support Group

CEMMA Committee for Ethnic Minorities and Mountainous Areas

CITES Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species

CRES Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies

DOSTE Department of Science, Technology and Environment

ECO-ECO Institute of Ecological Economy

EEC European Economic Community

IEBR Institute of Ecology and Biological Resources

IUCN The World Conservation Union

FIPI Forest Inventory and Planning Institute

MARD Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

MOSTE Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment

NCS National Conservation Strategy

NEDCEN Non-State Economic Development Centre

NFPRC Non-wood Forest Products Research Centre of the Vietnam Forest Science Institute; Ministry of Agriculture and Development

NPESD National Plan for Environment and Sustainable Development

SIDA Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency

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VACNE Vietnam Association for Conservation of Nature and Environment

VACVINA Vietnam Association for Gardens, Husbandry and Fish Ponds

WWF World Wide Fund for Nature

2. TABLE OF CONTENTS

A. BACKGROUND

1 Economic Context

2 Agriculture and Forestry

3 Policy and Institutional Arrangements

Forestry and land law reform

NTFP related environment policies

Institutional framework

4 Gender Issues and Ethnic Minorities

B. OVERVIEW OF THE NTFP SECTOR IN VIETNAM

C. BENEFICIARIES AND MAIN ACTORS:

1 NTFP Users

2 Non-wood Forest Product Research Centre (NFPRC)

3 Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES)

4 Institute of Ecological Economy (ECO-ECO)

5 Agriculture and Forestry Extension Workers

6 Women

D. JUSTIFICATION

1 Biodiversity Conservation Aspects of NTFP Management

2 Socio-economic Aspects of NTFP Management

3 Marketing of NTFP

4 Institutional Issues

5 Collaboration With Other NTFP Activities

6 Long-term strategy

E. OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE

F. PROJECT OBJECTIVES, OUTPUTS and ACTIVITIES

1 Project Components and Objectives

2 Outputs and Activities

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Capacity building component

NTFP planning and development component

NTFP conservation awareness component

G. PROJECT APPROACH

1 The National Component

2 Pilot Field Activities

Bac Kan Province

Ha Tinh Province

3 Selection of Non-timber Forest Products

H. INPUTS

1 Vietnam Government Contribution

MoSTE

MARD

NFPRC

Provincial Departments of Extension

2 IUCN - The World Conservation Union

Human resources

Operations and equipment

Project support

3 The Business Sector

4 Non Governmental Organisations

I. ASSUMPTIONS

J. PRIOR OBLIGATIONS AND PREREQUISITES

K. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS

1 The Project Steering Committee

2 NFPRC

3 IUCN - The World Conservation Union

4 Field Project Arrangements

5 Advisory Committee

L. WORK- PLAN

1 Inception phase (three months)

2 Start-up phase (until mid-term review)

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3 Mid-term review and evaluation

4 Consolidation Phase

M. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1 National Level

2 Field level

N. ANNEX 1: BUDGET NOTES

1 Personnel and related costs

2 Operational costs

3 Programme Costs

4 Monitoring

O. ANNEX 2: FUNCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL PROJECT STAFF

P. ANNEX 3: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

A. BACKGROUND 1. Economic Context

The Government of Vietnam has embarked on an economic reform course to guide the country from a centrally planned towards a more market-oriented mixed economy, characterised by increased integration into the East Asia region. Reform programmes have been launched to revamp the financial sector and the legal system, to remove price controls and to actively encourage foreign investment. Agricultural output is being greatly stimulated by changes in land use and production policies. In general, the economic reform programme has been successful in generating strong economic growth and in creating a promising climate for both domestic and overseas investors. Economic growth in Vietnam continues to be strong at around 9% p.a. although average per capita income remains low at US$215.

A new feature of Vietnam’s GDP is the increasing importance of the industrial and service sectors relative to the agriculture and forestry sectors. This trend is indicative of developing economies where the composition of GDP switches from a predominantly agrarian base to a more industrialised base.

2. Agriculture and Forestry

Agriculture: In 1995, agriculture, forestry and fishery combined contributed 29.04% to GDP. This was a significant reduction from the share in 1991 of 40.5%, and was due to higher growth rates in non-agriculture sectors.

Agriculture is dominated by rice production which accounts for 90.5 % of total food production. As the economy develops, market-driven diversification of agriculture towards higher value crops, livestock and exports can be expected, as has happened in other Asian countries at a similar development stage.

Forestry: Through the early 1990s, forestry nominally made a contribution of approximately 3% to GDP and employed 93,657 labours. Yet the true importance of the sector is much larger, though difficult to quantify, owing to its contributions to environmental quality and ecosystem stability, social welfare and, as a habitat to ethic minorities, to cultural diversity. Non-timber Forest Products (NTFPs) alone, for example, contribute substantially to the economy and community well being in ways which are not readily quantified. Vietnam’s Biodiversity Action Plan (1996) estimates that the economic value of these benefits is in the order of US 1 billion dollars each year.

Forest cover has declined from 14.3 million ha in 1943 (43%) to 9.3 million ha in 1993 (28.2%). Production forests represent 60% of this figure. The resource base for natural timber production and for NTFPs is extremely small for an expanding economy of almost 76 million people. Vietnam has the lowest per capita availability of natural forest land in SE Asia.

Forests in Vietnam are divided into production, protection and special use forests. Production forests are

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earmarked for exploitation in compliance with approved management plans. Protection forests are destined to protect land and water resources in critical areas and their exploitation for timber is more or less severely restricted. Special use forests are mostly nature reserves, kept for biodiversity conservation, and, in principle at least, are inviolable. They also include sites of cultural, historic and scenic importance.

The Government plans to plant 2 million ha of special use forests and protection forests, and 3 million ha of production forests. In early 1997, a Government Decree was issued to ban all further logging and economic use of natural forests. The interpretation of this instruction varies from Province to province, but is generally accepted to mean that no use of forest products is allowed from natural forests.

3. Policy and Institutional Arrangements 1. Forestry and land law reform

Until the reforms, the Government was the major actor in the forest sector governing all aspects from harvesting to processing and marketing of forest products. Since the reforms, the Government still holds all legislative power but citizens are encouraged to play a more active role in the implementation of development strategies.

National policies and legislation have been issued aiming to promote the role and define the rights of local communities as natural resources users. They constitute important steps towards the re-integration of local communities in the economic scene.

Two major laws, the Forest Protection and Development Act and the Land Law have laid the ground for watershed protection and for the transfer and decentralised management of state-owned land.

The Law of Forest Development and Protection (12 August 1991) recognises the value of forests to local communities as well as the need to involve forest dwellers in forest protection. The law defines the rights and obligations regarding the three categories of forests.

The resolution of the 5th congress of the Vietnamese Communist Party, on the orientation of agriculture (July 1993) provides a basis for the development of new peasant organisations out of past co-operatives. The new policy allows professional grouping to occur.

The Land Law (July 1993) which defines different land classes, regulates land administration and land use planning and provides for the allocation of arable and forest land to private households and enterprises under long term lease arrangements. Previously, villagers could not own or be responsible for land and thus it was considered as public land where natural resources could be freely exploited without concern for sustainability. Privatisation of land provides incentives for local investment in sustaining and improving production through better resource management, particularly where current uncontrolled practices on hilly lands lead to deforestation and general land degradation (particularly soil loss).

While agricultural land allocation has been very successful, success in forest land allocation, in terms of better management and increased production has been limited. The has been due to the nature of forest land which is typically remote and requires management methods unfamiliar to the majority of Vietnamese farmers.

2. NTFP related environment policies

Within the framework of Vietnamese environmental legislation, forest protection plays an important role with approximately 80 different texts regulating forest, its protection, its exploitation and the transportation, processing and export of its products. As a general principle, NTFPs are not treated separately from other forest products as a group, although flora and fauna is dealt with through a distinct body of legislation.

In 1985, the Vietnamese National Conservation Strategy (NCS) was prepared with technical assistance from IUCN and funding from SIDA. The NCS led to the development of the National Plan for Environment and Sustainable Development 1991-2000 (NPESD, 1991), a UNDP supported project with technical assistance from IUCN.

In 1995, ten years on from the NCS, Vietnam formally adopted a Biodiversity Action Plan. The Prime

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Minister directed national sectoral Ministries and Provincial Governments to incorporate measures to implement the BAP in their annual plans and to report on progress each year. The BAP calls for studies on technologies for the sustainable and profitable use of biodiversity resources and for support to communities living nearby natural resources so that they receive increased benefits from them.

Vietnam has ratified, amongst others, the Convention on Biodiversity and the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. The aim of CITES is to regulate the international trade in endangered species.

3. Institutional framework

Prior to November 1995 responsibilities for agriculture and forestry were divided among four ministries: Agriculture; Forestry; Water Resources and Fisheries. The first three have now been merged into a Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.

Important components of the Ministry are decentralised. The Forest Development and the Agriculture and Forestry Extension Departments, for example, fall under the authority of the provincial and district Peoples’ Committees. On average the extension services field two extension officers for each district, making up an important resource and potential target for training and support.

The commune is the lowest layer of state organisation. Village organisation follows a traditional and informal pattern. Cross-departmental co-operation is more easily established at provincial level and below than at central government level, since most services report directly to local Peoples’ Committees. The ultimate responsibility for land use planning and land allocation is now clearly decentralised and rests with the villages, communes and districts. Capacities at these levels are limited and effective extension services are all the more important to assist local communities take on their renewed natural resource management responsibilities.

Environment protection regulation and monitoring is the responsibility of the Ministry of Science, Technology and the Environment (MoSTE) and the National Environment Agency which functions within the Ministry. It too has a decentralised structure with Departments of Science, Technology and Environment (DoSTE) in each province.

A number of scientific institutions are working with communities to improve production processes. Vietnamese scientists are experienced and efficient but often lack financial and technical resources to effectively carry out their work. There is a general inadequacy of staff with appropriate technical expertise, as well as a lack of understanding among producers of the value and quality of their products. The experience at the managerial level is also often weak with limited business skills.

4. Gender Issues and Ethnic Minorities

In Vietnam, women occupy 51.5% of the population of the country and 52% of the labour force. The national action program on "Enhancing the participation of women in economic development up to 2000" aims to ensure stable legal conditions, gender sensibility and create favourable conditions for women contributing to development activities. It intensifies access of women to credit and finances with equal conditions to men.

The role of women is especially important in fishing, agriculture and forestry. Being in charge of cooking for the household, they are also responsible for using the major part of wood consumed in Vietnam. During the preparation of the Biodiversity Action Plan for Vietnam, it was noted that a considerable number of people, including a large proportion of women are directly or indirectly involved in the use of NTFPs from harvesters to middle persons and small or large scale state or non-state companies. Women are also spending time in NTFP activities for harvesting and post harvest operations but are less involved in transportation, transformation and selling operations.

In addition to the Vietnamese who belong to the majority Kinh ethnic group, about 50 ethnic minorities live in Vietnam. The total population of these minorities is estimated at 8 million, with some 3 million living in hill and mountain areas. These areas are abundant in forest products, and the ethnic minority people are therefore an important group of NTFP users.

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B. OVERVIEW OF THE NTFP SECTOR IN VIETNAM

Vietnam contains a great wealth of biological resources in its forests, wetlands, aquatic and marine areas. Vietnam's biodiversity constitutes a unique natural heritage both nationally and globally. A wide range of NTFPs are collected or cultivated for household use, the national market or export; mushrooms, medicinal and aromatic plants, wild fruits and vegetables, honey, fibres, bamboo, rattan, orchids, fish, snakes, tortoises, shrimp, pine resin and benzoin. Together with farming, NTFP collection provides local people with food, health care, fodder, fuel-wood as well as house building materials and raw materials for small industries, as a source of supplementary income. These NTFPs are important for the economy and well-being of the population today and hold considerable potential for development in the future. The role of NTFP users in the household economy varies depending on the economic status of the household.

NTFP use covers the gathering, production, transformation and marketing of products. The total sector gives employment to hundreds of thousands of people in Vietnam. A considerable part of the products harvested are entering the home market for direct consumption or for use in industries catering for the home market.

Among the different economic strata, the purposes for NTFP use is not the same. For those who have enough crop output to cover their consumption needs, NTFP are harvested mainly to meet home needs in medicines, rattan and bamboo tools or building materials. For the others, however, NTFP use is crucial for generating income to meet daily food needs.

The market potential is increasing with the improvement of local purchasing power and with foreign market opportunities appearing for many commodities. But market structures are often difficult to access by local producers. Interest groups often dominate certain markets and reap disproportionate returns.

The lack of competition due to Government monopoly was previously restricting options for producers and marketing actors at various levels. Now, the growing demand for natural products from the Asian industrialised countries (China, Korea, Taiwan, and Malaysia, for example) and from the West has opened new markets for non-timber natural products. There is considerable potential for marketing a wide range of products already identified, for developing new commercial and industrial uses of these products and for identifying new forest products. In 1986, the Ministry of Forestry set the target for export of NTFPs at US$ 150 million in five years. The real figure is probably many times higher, as most of the trade goes unregistered.

The NTFP marketing situation is characterised by a lack of co-ordination between national and provincial agencies and by poor management and inefficiencies. Communities become suppliers of products in a raw state for governmental processing and export companies in an ad hoc way, without co-production and/or marketing agreements. They are often motivated by short term profit, the immediate consequence of which is a growing depletion of the resources, while they lack investment plans to restore, maintain and develop the resource base.

Economic benefits that can be derived from NTFPs and agro-forestry products have been identified as a major opportunity for communities living in or around forest lands. Yet, many projects are still encouraging an over-production of NTFPs without paying attention to either the depletion of the resource stock or the existence of market outlets for the increase in productivity. Such projects often do not get expected results because they fail to integrate, in the early stage of planning, a careful products market system analysis which would have helped to identify potentially promising products, their selling prices and where and to whom they can be sold. They often lack the capacity or resources to monitor the biodiversity of the resource base, to ensure that the viability of the resource is maintained.

The lack of market information poses major problems for NTFP users. This has led to a situation where villagers invest time and energy to increase productivity which cannot be consumed locally and for which they have no market.

Activities related to NTFPs are scattered and often have no links with each other or with any institution specialised in the development of NTFPs. As a consequence, NTFP related activities are rarely featured in statistics. In spite of their real importance for the population, there is a lack of research and information on most NTFPs and on most NTFP related sectors.

Historical reasons, including the long isolation of the country, have discouraged organised production, processing and marketing of NTFPs. Initial exploratory studies showed that, despite an increase in trained professionals, there is still very little trained staff in Vietnam on this subject.

There is an urgent need (as expressed by individuals and governmental bodies) for a co-ordinated and regulated NTFP community based management system, supported by an analysis of markets and product development.

C. BENEFICIARIES AND MAIN ACTORS:

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1. NTFP Users

NTFP users are the main target of this project.

It is estimated that there are 24.3 million people living on and near forest lands in Vietnam (nearly 30% of the population) and of that 7.8 million people of rural ethnic minorities spend much time gathering, hunting and fishing.

The "NTFPs users" are those women and men, using NTFPs in a subsistence sense or as a source of cash income, who harvest, process, and/or market NTFP. For the purpose of the project, the target groups is restricted to those people who are living in or near forest lands within the two pilot sites of the project, or those business people who use and market products from the pilot sites.

The direct actors are the individuals or institutions in direct contact with the NTFPs, and who harvest them for subsistence or commercial use. Those actors directly involved (men or women), can be producers (harvester or cultivator), village store-owners or collectors, primary processors (handicraft or post harvest operations), conveyors, secondary processors (manufacturer or craft-maker), or traders (wholesaler, broker etc.).

The indirect actors are the individuals or institutions participating or having (environmental, cultural, economic, institutional, social or technological) influence on the NTFP sub-sector.

2. Non-wood Forest Product Research Centre (NFPRC)

The official Government counterpart for the project is the Non-wood Forest Product Research Centre (NFPRC). The Centre has an extensive applied programme of research and training to promote NTFPs as a viable income source for local communities and enterprise. It is a field based organisation with some 40 staff working closely with existing extension services in various parts of the country. The Centre will be the key to effective project implementation and a focus of the project’s capacity building support.

3. Centre for Natural Resources and Environmental Studies (CRES)

The Centre for Natural resources and Environmental Studies (CRES) of the university of Hanoi, working closely with NFPRC, will carry out project activities in Ha Tinh province, around Ke Go reserve. CRES has been active in this area for a number of years, with assistance from a number of sources, including Oro-Verde and the Netherlands IUCN Committee.

The main activities of CRES in the area have been support to community based forest management and protection, rural development and environmental awareness.

CRES became a member of IUCN in 1997.

4. Institute of Ecological Economy (ECO-ECO)

The Institute of Ecological Economy (ECO-ECO) is a small non-government organisation, which is well known for its integrated community development and natural resource conservation work in buffer zone areas through-out Vietnam. ECO-ECO will take on project activities in Bac Kan Province, working closely with NFPRC. The Ba Be National Park buffer zone is one area where ECO-ECO has carried out preliminary investigations, and the local communities are keen to work with the Institute to develop sustainable and ecologically sound agro-forestry activities.

ECO-ECO has been a member of IUCN since 1994.

5. Agriculture and Forestry Extension Workers

As the long term viability of project activities through continued technical extension support to local producers and enforcement of environment and protection laws depends on the active participation of the concerned administrative and technical personnel from the local offices (provincial, district, commune), the project will actively involve these field workers in information exchange; training programmes; and in the development and implementation of NTFP strategies for their areas.

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6. Women

IUCN recognises the central role that women will play in the success of this project, and is therefore committed to ensuring that women benefit from and are not burdened by the project activities. However, IUCN Vietnam recognises that it does not currently have sufficient expertise and experience in the field of gender and development.

For that reason, this project will follow a similar procedure as the NTFP project being implemented by IUCN in Laos. During the initial six months of the project, an international expert on gender and development will be hired for a period of about 2-3 months with the purpose of assisting the project staff and partners to incorporate gender awareness into every component of the project. Indeed, an important part of building the capacity of the NFPRC will be to ensure it develops gender-sensitive practices and promotes gender awareness in all its operations, encouraging the participation of women at every stage of project development and implementation while at the same time ensuring that women are adequately rewarded for and not further burdened by their participation.

D. JUSTIFICATION

1. Biodiversity Conservation Aspects of NTFP Management

The first national initiative to address general nature conservation issues was the 1985 National Conservation strategy (NCS). The 1992 National Plan for Environment and Sustainable Development re-enforced the need for conservation and sustainable development. The Biodiversity Action Plan for Vietnam (1995) stressed once more the need for local participation in conservation, opportunities for NTFP promotion and the need for sustainable use of resources.

The forests of Vietnam are under increasing threat. The World Bank has estimated that the forest cover has decreased from 67% to 26% in the last thirty years. The Biodiversity Action Plan of Vietnam states that in reality only 3 million heSTAres remained as dense pristine forest in 1991. This is a mere 1% of the country.

The Biodiversity Action Plan also lists the main threats to biodiversity, which include encroachment, logging and fuel-wood collection. Clearly, local people use the forest for their survival, but if we can help them to find non-destructive uses of the forest, by extracting and cultivating NTFP, we can protect the remaining natural forests. NTFP management is therefore a direct means of biodiversity conservation.

2. Socio-economic Aspects of NTFP Management

Until recently, the main financial benefit from the forests for the local authorities was perceived to be the revenue from timber. This pattern is changing due to the recent Government decree which prohibits timber extraction from forests. Yet, there is a lack of understanding amongst local decision makers, that forests can provide other means of income, by using non-timber products.

Because the decision makers do not recognise the value of NTFPs, there is no motivation, concern or interest by the local authorities, in developing and promoting an approach to their sustainable use. Equally, there is no recognition of the need for conservation of the forests, to maintain the resource base for NTFPs, and this leads to uncontrolled and unsustainable exploitation.

The project will raise the awareness of local authorities, promote forest conservation and enhance the participation of local NTFP users by making them aware of the current and long term advantages in being involved in forest and NTFP conservation.

Despite poor returns from the current patterns of exploitation, many NTFP users have no other economical alternative than to extract forest products in order to solve their basic daily cash needs. The project will help the users to increase their returns by improving management and utilisation methods.

Lack of capital is cited as a common constraint, but it is more often the lack of ability to mobilise capital at reasonable rates. Rural enterprises rarely apply for credit from banks because they are too small and interest rates are high. The Government has recently introduced rural credit schemes, for example through the Agricultural Development Bank, and the project will help users to get access to these types of credit.

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3. Marketing of NTFP

One of the many problems faced by NTFP producers is a lack of knowledge of what the market demands, for example, with respect to quantity and quality; packaging and delivery requirements; prices and payment conditions; delivery times and reliability. The project will therefore introduce Market System Analysis and other relevant tools.

Another problem is often the lack of knowledge with respect to potential markets; access to market facilities and traders; and links to potential clients and their specific demands. Communities often complain that they are unable to sell their products because of a lack of outlets, but it may simply be the case that they do not have access to the right market.

Isolated from reliable sources of information and encouraged by the new trend of freedom in production, NTFP users are open to all suggestions that could increase their income. It is not uncommon for them to be mislead and cheated by unscrupulous business people. Rural communities tend to have almost no business relations with outside enterprises, and they often rely on the integrity of private buyers.

One way for producers to access information on market demand is for producers to talk and negotiate directly with traders and consumers. The project will help to facilitate such dialogue, both within the pilot projects, and on a national basis, by providing technical assistance with marketing. The project will also develop an information system and network of reliable institutional contacts to promote transparency in market information.

NTFP users are rarely able to access technical advice about harvesting and post-harvest operation techniques which could contribute to the preservation of NTFPs and add value to their products. The lack of technology includes a lack of reliable and appropriate equipment; a lack of suitable professional work skills; a lack of knowledge about solutions to transform local resources into competitive goods for the market; a lack of knowledge about ways to maintain their competitiveness.

The project will enhance the technical capacity of NTFP users in the two pilot projects by providing on-the-job training, access to information and short-term technical inputs. The project will also help to identify and develop marketable and ecologically sustainable and economically viable products which are suited to the natural conditions of the two pilot sites. This will include ex-situ cultivation of natural products.

4. Institutional Issues

Traditional community management systems have often been lost due to a history of colonisation, war and centralised management systems. With the loss of the traditional management systems, the traditional laws and regulations which existed within these systems have also been lost. Recently introduced legislation is not yet always understood by the current authorities, and this leads to complications with regards to access of NTFP. As a result, many current NTFP users are no longer aware of the importance of protecting forests, and consequently they are not motivated to organise themselves or to collaborate with the local forest office to manage the forest resources sustainably.

Local administrative bodies accustomed to set planned targets are finding it difficult to adjust to unfamiliar problems in the new market economy system. This is reflected in the constraints faced by NTFP users in their relations with administrative bodies. These constraints touch on land tenure and land allocation, taxes and levies; pollution control measures; property rights and profit margins; forest protection regulations and a host of other regulations and guidelines which are often not clearly defined.

For example: The prospect of establishing forest gardens and other agro-forestry systems, and the domestication of forest species as a means of reducing pressure on forests, can only be considered if there is a favourable land tenure system. Communities are not fully benefiting from the land privatisation policy due to a lack of clearly defined regulations for implementing the law; trained local staff for land surveying and allocation; and a shortage of public funds to issue land certificates. The consequences are that there are families who only have temporary certificates and are unsure about their rights.

The project will help local authorities to clarify and implement relevant regulations and guidelines, and educate local NTFP users about their rights and obligations with regard to the use of resources. The project will also establish effective and productive working relationships between government, the private sector and communities to facilitate the sustainable use of NTFPs.

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The growth of corruption is a special factor that has to be taken into consideration, as this has particular implications for NTFP income generation. Corruption adds unexpected cost to overheads in unofficial payments demanded. It can result in unforeseen delays until payments are made.

5. Collaboration With Other NTFP Activities

There are a number of activities and projects which deal with the use and management of forest products, and the following interventions are particularly relevant to the NTFP sector:

� A NTFPs inventory research program implemented by the Vietnam Forest Inventory and Planning Institute in collaboration with IEBR, funded by the Mac Arthur Foundation.

� The feasibility phase of a capacity building of small and medium enterprises using wood and non wood products will be implemented by NEDCEN, with financial support from the Netherlands Government.

� A number of ecological villages which are being established through the work of the Institute of Ecological Economy (ECO-ECO).

� A research project on trade in biodiversity products, implemented by the East-West Centre in collaboration with CRES, and involving experts from Vietnam, Laos and China.

� The buffer zone management project around Vu Quang National Park co-ordinated by WWF and sponsored by the Netherlands.

� The buffer zone management project around Pu Mat national reserve, implemented by Orgut with financial support from the European Union.

� The GEF-funded Protected Area and Resource Conservation Project which will focus on Ba Be National Park and Yok Don Nature Reserve. The project will start in 1998.

� The World Bank funded conservation and buffer zone management project in Nam Cat Tien and Chu Mom Rai in southern Vietnam, which will start early 1998.

� The IDRC-supported international network on bamboo and rattan (INBAR). IUCN will nurture collaboration with IDRC in this respect and promote exchange of information.

� "Creating Revenue from Vietnam’s Biological Diversity in Order to Conserve It". This project, to be supported by Danida and planned to begin in 1998, will undertake a national inventory of NTFPs, identify substances with commercial potential and explore economic and sustainable harvesting methods. IUCN has had discussions with DANIDA about collaboration and co-ordination of project interventions.

� A NTFP database will be developed in north-east Vietnam by Counterpart Foundation, a US-based member of IUCN.

Most of these initiatives tend to focus on one aspect of the NTFPs process; either the creation of an NTFP inventory, or the use of NTFPs in small industry or their integration in forestry interventions. This project will address the range of factors concerning the different steps in the development of NTFPs and the users involved at each step. The project will seek to consult, co-ordinate and, where feasible and beneficial, undertake joint activities, with the above and other relevant projects.

1. Long-term strategy

There is need for a long term strategy for achieving lasting and meaningful improvement in the management of NTFP resources in Vietnam. the steps of this strategy can be summarised as:

1. Learning how to develop and promote effective systems of NTFP management that contribute to forest conservation and rural development

2. Becoming efficient in the way successful models of NTFP management and promotion are implemented 3. Expanding the support to cover a wider geographic area and a range of NTFP issues

This project will contribute experience and lessons related to step 1 in the strategy, and will prepare the responsible agencies to implement the remaining steps of the strategy summarised above.

A. OVERALL DEVELOPMENT OBJECTIVE

Biodiversity and forest conservation through the ecologically sustainable and economically viable use of Non Timber Forest Products.

This objective will be reached through the implementation of three project components: capacity building of the NFPRC, NTFP planning and management, NTFP conservation awareness.

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B. PROJECT OBJECTIVES, OUTPUTS and ACTIVITIES

1. Project Components and Objectives

2. Outputs and Activities

1. Capacity building component

Output

1.1 A well organised and effective NFPRC

Activities

1.1.1 Carry out a resource and training needs assessment of the NFPRC.

1.1.2 Develop and implement a training programme for Centre staff.

1.1.3 Establish an NTFP resource centre and library

4. Link the Centre to local and overseas business partners. 5. Arrange for English language training 6. Assist in the preparation of the Centre’s annual and five year plans to integrate project activities effectively with the

plans and to ensure that the Centre’s technical staff and programmes link with and build on the pilot activities 7. Support the Centre in arranging consultative meetings and exchanges between the two pilot sites so that experience

and expertise is shared 8. Support the Centre in arranging meetings and workshops involving experts in NTFPs and in recording the experience

in NTFP use and management throughout Vietnam 9. Support the Centre in drawing lessons in NTFP management from the pilot sites and from other field experience and in

communicating these lessons in appropriate forms to influence government policy and key decision-makers 10. Assist the Centre in the design and planning of projects including seeking additional funding when appropriate 11. Provide training in financial management, accounting and forecasting

Output

1.2 Well trained extension workers in the pilot areas

Activities

1. Drawing upon technical staff of the Centre, train extension workers in the pilot areas in the required disciplines for example: RRA, NTFP market analysis and development, project implementation and accounting, biodiversity survey and monitoring, so that they can provide effective support to NTFP initiatives.

Capacity building of NFPRC To Strengthen the NFPRC and make it the pre-eminent national centre for NTFP development and management.

NTFP planning and management To organise in each pilot site appropriate collaborative management systems, which will promote and maintain sustainable use of NTFP.

NTFP conservation awareness To develop and implement an effective awareness raising campaign, specifically directed at NTFP users within the pilot sites.

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Output

1.3 A capacity to monitor project progress.

Activities

1. Assist the Centre in developing and implementing a monitoring programme for its annual and five year plan 2. Assist the Centre in developing the capacities for project monitoring and evaluation 3. Jointly develop a monitoring programme for the project with the Centre, CRES and ECO ECO and facilitate the

participation of Centre technical staff in its implementation, especially in monitoring the status of NTFPs in the pilot areas and of the overall health of associated biodiversity resources

4. Develop the skills within the Centre and at local levels in the pilot sites for effectively recording and communicating the results of monitoring programmes so that they influence the way projects are implemented and decisions are made

Output

1.4 A capacity for biodiversity monitoring.

Activities

1. Train trainers in monitoring progress of biodiversity restoration in each pilot site. 2. Conduct research on the appropriate biodiversity indicators for NTFP market-oriented projects.

Output

1.5 A capacity for NTFP market system analysis and development.

Activities

1. Prepare a module for the identification of products in NTFP market system analysis at community level. 2. Conduct a training programme on national and overseas market studies for the selected products identified within the

three pilot sites.

1. NTFP planning and development component

Output

2.1 Political and administrative support for NTFP activities at each pilot site.

Activities

2.1.1 Discuss with NTFP users and local Government their interests and perceptions regarding the management of forests and NTFPs.

2.1.2 Organise and provide support to an administrative committee that reviews and approves plans for project related activities in each pilot site.

Output

2.2 Identification of NTFPs which have market potential and can be harvested on an ecologically sustainable basis, if appropriate through cultivation of relevant species in the pilot areas.

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Activities

1. Carry out NTFP inventories of the pilot areas, identifying their past, current and potential uses, and their conservation status.

2. Carry out biodiversity surveys of the pilot sites, the key habitats and species, their status and conservation management needs, identifying key indicators for monitoring purposes.

3. Participatory investigation of current harvesting, transformation and marketing practices. 4. Assist NTFP users in conducting an appropriate NTFP market system analysis for identification of products to develop

and market. 5. Facilitate identification of human, equipment, land and financial resources for implementation of the NTFPs

development plans in each site, including nurseries and plantations as appropriate.

Output

2.3 Agreed NTFP development agreements, designed by all parties.

Activities

1. Develop draft guidelines for NTFP development agreements 2. Undertake participatory activities in each pilot site leading to the formulation and endorsement of relevant NTFP

development agreements by the management committee. 2. Facilitate the formulation and planning of specific NTFP development agreements for each pilot site, placing emphasis

on ensuring that the needs of disadvantaged groups and women are taken into account. 3. Consult all stake-holders on drafts of the NTFP development agreements 4. Revise and finalise NTFP development agreements 5. Where feasible, assist in the establishment and management of nurseries and plantations of appropriate NTFP species 6. Fully document the planning process for communication to decision makers, with the aim of replicating the approach

in other areas 7. Assist in the implementation of the NTFP development agreements in each pilot site.

Output

2.4 NTFP users have a good understanding of marketing requirements and opportunities.

Activities

1. Survey existing national and foreign companies with NTFP interest 2. Design an appropriate NTFP market information system. 2. Assist NTFP users in organising and implementing the market information system. 3. Facilitate the links between NTFP users and buyers in order to get the quality and quantity required. 4. Train the NTFP users in being responsive to market demands to ensure a sustainable market.

Output

2.5 Relevant supporting regulations and local policies are known, understood and enforced.

Activities

1. Make an inventory of relevant local and national regulations which could support the planning and implementation of the NTFP development agreements.

2. Facilitate the management committee in establishing specific local policies to support the implementation of the various agreements.

3. Facilitate the creation of supportive links with relevant government institutions for approval and promotion of the enforcement of regulations and policies.

4. Make regulations and policies available to NTFP users and to local communities in each pilot site and ensure that their intent is effectively communicated.

1. NTFP conservation awareness component

Output

3.1 Village communities, local district and provincial governmental and non-governmental partners understand

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the multiple advantages in supporting NTFP users in their forest conservation effort.

Activities

1. Prepare an NTFP communications strategy for the overall project, and for national level activities 2. Prepare a NTFP communications strategy for the two pilot sites 3. Collect, prepare, synthesise and distribute supportive and relevant material on NTFPs. 4. Communicate case studies from the demonstration sites through video, reports and other means, to provide examples

of the multiple benefits from forests and of their conservation 5. Organise and facilitate meetings and discussions between NTFP users, local technical partners and policy and decision

makers.

A. PROJECT APPROACH

The project has a national component and two pilot field activities. The national component focuses on capacity building of the project counterpart - NFPRC, which is intended to harness, focus and hone available national expertise to better serve the development of a sustainable NTFP industry in Vietnam.

The two field projects will seek practical solutions to NTFP development and management and will nurture cultivation, processing and marketing skills and awareness relating to biodiversity conservation. The project should enable NTFP users to become more effective resource managers.

The project approach is not to insist on technically sound solutions only, but also to assist NTFP users with improved management practices and by linking them with supportive institutions. Support with marketing of NTFP will be an important aspect of the project.

Successful interventions and beneficial lessons learned from the field work will be fed back through the Centre to influence Government policies and practice in other parts of the country.

The whole context of NTFP use is continually evolving and changing so project activities will need to be reviewed regularly. A monitoring and evaluation system will be established which allows the Centre and the project team to constantly reflect on progress and to respond to changing circumstances through adjustments to the planning and implementation of activities. The sensitivity to change and the flexibility to respond to opportunities as they arise are essential elements of NTFP projects.

1. The National Component

A goal of the project is to build a strong and active network of NTFP experts in Vietnam, supported by an equally strong and effective Centre which can initiate NTFP development programmes and work directly through the Governments extension services; with the private sector; with international organisations; or with appropriate non government groups

The project will establish an office in the NFPRC, which will be managed by a National Project Co-ordinator and an international Senior Technical Advisor(STA). The project will work with all divisions in the Centre (cultivation, processing, technical, marketing and administration), to help strengthen the overall capacity. The National Project Director will be the Director of the Centre.

2. Pilot Field Activities

Following site visits and consultations at national and local level, two demonstration areas have been selected - Ba Be National Park buffer area in Bac Kan Province, of north Vietnam; and HoKeGo Nature Reserve and buffer area in Ha Tinh Province of central Vietnam.

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The field activities in Bac Kan province will be carried out by ECO-ECO. The activities in Ha Tinh province will be implemented by CRES. Both ECO-ECO and CRES are member organisations of IUCN. The NFPRC will facilitate a programme of exchange and working linkages between the two sites to ensure that lessons and expertise are shared.

The selection of the actual project pilot sites within these two demonstration areas is an important issue, which will influence the success of the overall project. A hastily agreed location, or one which has been decided without local participation may create problems during the implementation of the project activities.

Therefore, the final decision on the pilot sites will be made during the inception phase of the project once the project Steering Committee, STA and Co-ordinator have had an opportunity to review the options and carry out more extensive consultations with local authorities in the pilot areas.

1. Bac Kan Province

ECO-ECO has made preliminary studies of the buffer zone around Ba Be National Park and Nha Hang Nature Reserve and additional studies of the area have been undertaken by CRES and WWF. The Park includes extensive natural forests with rich biodiversity resources including endemic and still to be described species. It is officially administered by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, with the provincial authorities having a key role in supervision. The adjacent Nha Hang Nature Reserve is managed by the local authorities. Although human habitation in the Park is banned, several groups of Thai minority people have been living there for 50 years, practising traditional slash and burn cultivation. Encroachment by surrounding villages is a key problem.

Helvetas is active in the area through community development activities, and ECO-ECO will ensure collaboration and co-operation with the Helvetas project staff. A proposal has been prepared by the UNDP for a GEF-funded project (Protected Areas and Resource Conservation - PARC) which will focus on the management of the Ba National Park and Nha Hang Nature Reserve. IUCN will ensure close collaboration with the Hanoi-based staff in the PARC project, and the IUCN/ECO-ECO project staff will share information and resources with the PARC project field staff where appropriate.

2. Ha Tinh Province

CRES has been active in the buffer zone of HoKeGo Nature Reserve for a number of years. The project activities to date are small-scale and aim to help the local people raise their living standards through more effective natural resource use. The underlying assumption is that higher living standards and increased awareness will lead to better protection of the forest resources. Funding for the activities in the communities of Ky Thuong and Ky Tay is generated through the IUCN National Committee in The Netherlands. Additional funds have been provided by Oro Verde.

A Market System Analysis was carried out in the area in 1996 by a NTFP consultant with funds from the IUCN NTFP Network and the results were promising.

Birdlife International, an international non-Government member of IUCN, has helped the local authorities with the definition of the protected area and is currently assisting with management of the reserve. IUCN will ensure close collaboration with the Birdlife office in Hanoi, and the IUCN/CRES project staff will work closely with the local forest guards.

3. Selection of Non-timber Forest Products

The NFPRCF lists the following as main NTFPs in Vietnam: Oils and resin; Bamboo and rattan; herbs and spices; medicinal plants and foodstuff; varnish and shellac.

Preparatory studies during the development of this project at national level and in the area of Ke Go have allowed the identification of the following target products during the start of the project; essential oils from aromatic and medicinal plants, rattan, mushrooms, fruits and honey.

This is a tentative selection to guide the more intensive studies at the project pilot sites which will be undertaken with the close involvement of local communities, extension workers and members of the CDSG. These site specific studies will include NTFP inventories and feasibility studies for the most promising products.

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B. INPUTS

1. Vietnam Government Contribution

Two central Government Ministries will contribute significantly to this project - the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment (MoSTE). The official Government counterpart is the NFPRC within MARD.

Already both Ministries have expressed their strong backing and commitment to the project. They will support the project in a variety of ways and participate as members of the project Steering Committee. The government will express its approval of the project through communications from the ministry Planning and Investment.

1. MoSTE

MoSTE is the official Government counterpart organisation of IUCN in Vietnam, and as such it plays an important role in guiding the IUCN Vietnam Programme. The senior management of MoSTE has agreed that this particular project be implemented through MARD and in particular through the NFPRC.

MoSTE is formally responsible for co-ordinating implementation of the Biodiversity Action Plan in Vietnam and has a key role in implementation of environmental international agreements to which Vietnam is a party, such as CITES and RAMSAR. It also has a vital role in monitoring the status of the country’s resource stocks and environmental quality. It has an increasing decentralised capacity for environmental assessment and is responsible for regulating EIA of major developments, including those in the forestry field. Finally, it is becoming more involved in the environment review of master plans for central sector agencies, the development regions and for the provinces.

For all these reasons, it is important that the Ministry is closely involved in the project. It will be represented at senior level on the Project Steering Committee and, as required, will facilitate the co-operation and involvement of its provincial department staff in pilot area provinces.

2. MARD

MARD will play an especially significant role in ensuring co-operation and involvement when required of its key Departments, such as the Department of Forest Protection. MARD will also facilitate effective working links between the project and the Provincial Departments of Agriculture and Forest Extension with responsibilities in the two demonstration areas sites. MARD will be the main ministry responsible for ensuring that the field experience in the demonstration provinces is picked up and fed into national policy and programmes.

The Forest Inventory and Planning Institute (FIPI) may participate in the project, in particular with respect to the inventories of biodiversity and NTFP in the demonstration projects and elsewhere. The details of this collaboration will be defined during the inception phase of the project.

3. NFPRC

The NFPRC is part of the Forest Science Institute of MARD. Effectively, this initiative is a project of the Centre, and its director will be the National Project Director. The IUCN NTFP project will appear in its annual work plan and five year master plan and appropriate provision will be made from its core budget to ensure that technical staff work activities complement and link with the project in the most productive ways.

The Centre will identify a technical and administrative team from within its current staff who will be directly involved in the project, including a full-time Project Co-ordinator.

The Centre’s assistance and support to the project will include:

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� Salaries of its staff participating in the project � Complementary action research activities built into its technical work programme � Project office and meeting facilities � Organisation of permits, clearances, and other formal governmental administrative requirements

A detailed memorandum of understanding between IUCN and the Centre will be formulated during the project inception phase.

1. Provincial Departments of Extension

The success of the pilot sites will depend on collaboration and support from the Provincial and District Peoples Committees, and with MARD’s backing, it will be the Extension Service Departments which will take the lead in helping the project team to build active working relationships with the Peoples Committees.

The exact nature of the working relationships and support mechanisms in the provinces will vary from site to site and will be more fully defined during the project inception phase.

1. IUCN - The World Conservation Union

The budget for the international contribution to this three-year project is approximately 1.75 million US Dollars. This covers human resources, materials and equipment and operational costs.

0. Human resources

A full-time Senior Technical Advisor (STA) will be recruited who will be a specialist in biodiversity conservation and natural resources management. A part-time marketing advisor will also be recruited to help with the economic aspects of NTFP management. S/he will have experience with NTFP management. The functions of the Senior Technical Advisor and Marketing Advisor are detailed in Annex 6.

As the project approach is new and the issue of sustainability is central to the success of the project, the monitoring of activities should be carefully conducted. An emphasis on the monitoring and evaluation component will be established with the appointment of a full-time project monitoring officer. S/he will work closely with the IUCN Senior Technical Advisor and the IUCN Project Support Officer.

The success of the project also depends on effective and skilful marketing. There is a lack of information and nationally trained personnel in this discipline. The project aims to fill this gap and will employ a full-time national marketing officer, to concentrate on building the needed links with the private sector, to help define marketing strategies and to contribute to the training programme. The IUCN marketing advisor will provide on-the-job training and technical assistance to the national marketing officer and other relevant staff.

Short term consultants will be hired to support appropriate training programmes and activities for the Centre and the project staff in the form of on-the-job training, formal training and guidance. One of these will be a gender specialist who will work with the project to define the necessary inputs to ensure that the project has a balanced approach to gender. Short-term experts will be recruited from within Vietnam where possible.

The management of the project requires one accountant and one secretary/interpreter for the project office.

Terms of Reference for the long-term inputs are provided in the annex.

1. Operations and equipment

Operating inputs are necessary for the travel and allowances of local and expatriate staff and for the running costs of the national project office. This includes the cost for communication, administration, utilities and vehicle operations.

The knowledge about biodiversity and NTFP management of project staff will be improved through

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workshops and training abroad and in country. Funds are also included to raise awareness of local people, administrative and technical staff and decision makers. A modest library and resource centre will be established in the NTFP Centre, and funds are available to purchase materials, books and publications.

Equipment and maintenance will be provided for the project office. Sub-contracts will be signed with ECO-ECO and CRES to cover the cost of co-ordinating the field activities.

2. Project support

IUCN will provide strong administrative and technical backstopping for the project through its national office in Hanoi and its regional office in Bangkok; through exchange and missions from relevant national offices in the region; and through the IUCN Headquarters. The budget includes funds for a full- time project support officer in the IUCN Vietnam office, whose task will be to co-ordinate IUCN inputs, and to assist the project where necessary.

As the implementing agency in this project, IUCN’s services will include:

� Supporting the Centre in the overall management and organisation of the project � Recruiting the international and national project staff � Ensuring that project implementation continues in a systematic and timely manner � Assuring the quality of work carried out by the project staff � Selecting and contracting national and international experts or organisations as required for the effective

implementation of the project � Ensuring that effective and creative monitoring and evaluation systems are in place and taking responsibility for

reporting on progress to Government and donor

Perhaps most significant to the success of the project, as a Union, IUCN has regional and global networks which allow for a two way flow of information, technologies and expertise on NTFPs and biodiversity conservation. Periodic reviews of project reports, technical inputs and field visits will be undertaken by the IUCN Forests Conservation Programme, with further inputs form other IUCN programme experts dealing with Protected Areas; Species Survival; Social Policy and Biodiversity Programmes.

The IUCN regional network on NTFPs, in particular, will be a continuing source of expertise, information and opportunity for exchange and training. It will provide the immediate international link for project and allow Vietnamese experts to communicate on a regular basis with other NTFP experts in the region. The NTFP network will be co-ordinated by a specialist, who will be based in one of the IUCN offices in the Region.

1. The Business Sector

The contribution of the business sector will be crucial to the successful production and marketing of NTFPs from the pilot areas. For the purposes of this project the business sector includes:

� any individual, family or community grouping which harvests, cultivates or produces NTFPs for profit; � any individuals or local enterprises which contribute as middle-men in the market chain from producers, processors,

traders, conveyors through to the end users; and, � foreign and multi-national enterprises which have a history of responsible production, refinement and marketing of

NTFPs.

IUCN is building its working linkages with the business sector in the this field. The Union has established an extensive NTFP network in Asia which brings together field workers and practitioners on a regular basis to discuss methods, products, and markets.

An early step in the project will be a survey to identify all existing national and foreign companies currently operating in Vietnam which have an existing or potential interest in NTFPs. Other companies outside Vietnam which have the potential to make a contribution to the project objectives will also be identified.

The project will establish a forum for discussion and information exchange with the business sector and representatives of appropriate companies will be invited to participate in this. The business sector may also be involved in specific feasibility studies at the pilot sites. The potential for involvement in training programmes will be explored.

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Ultimately, the business sector will contribute most when there is potential for profit. It is for the project and Centre to help identify NTFPs with potential and to forge the links between communities and business so that economic benefits come equitably to all the various actors in the market chain.

1. Non Governmental Organisations

Non profit making non governmental organisations concerned with community development and biodiversity conservation also have an important role to play in this project. Two national NGOs, ECO-ECO, CRES, will be working as key members of the project team at both the national and provincial levels. They have been selected because of their experience and because they are both member organisations of IUCN.

ECO-ECO and CRES will both be sub-contracted to conduct field activities of the project. Under sub contract, they will assist in:

� selecting the final pilot sites � developing and maintaining strong links with the communities, local authorities and government extension staff, and

helping to raise awareness � undertaking site specific NTFP inventory surveys, with technical assistance from the NTFP Centre and IUCN � preparing of NTFP management plans for the pilot areas

In both pilot projects, there will be a small field secretariat. The field staff will have two direct links with the project secretariat. The first line of contact is through the contractual arrangement with IUCN. The second reporting line is through the Advisory Committee, where all four project partners are represented.

A. B. ASSUMPTIONS

The market demand will not become a threat to the conservation of the product and the forest. The ecological sustainability of the products identified and developed under the project will be critical to the achievement of the objectives. The ecological sustainability will be a "barrier" parameter which may lead to abandon the development of a product if there is any minor indication of ecological un-sustainability. The project will contribute to defining a method to assess and monitor maximum harvesting capacity of an area for a particular product, providing data which will decide whether or not a product is selected.

Balancing activities on NTFP production and market development for the generation of cash income with appropriate conservation mechanisms. It is understood that NTFP users are more likely to act on the basis of conservation concerns when they are able to satisfy basic living needs. This will be addressed when deciding on the final pilot sites.

NTFP users can express their needs and participate in the decision making process. Involving people in managing NTFPs facilitates the wise use of resources since the users are most likely to follow environmentally friendly practices when they have decided on or when they have consented to a resource management regime; resource users often have valuable local knowledge which can contribute to environmentally sound and sustainable management practices.

The implementation and adherence to new Government policy aiming to encourage involvement of all types of local actors in environmental and developmental activities. The local authorities will follow or implement the instructions handed down by central Government.

Political will, sufficient staff, adequate skills and the possibility to mobilise resources exist. Developing convergence between conservation and development make it possible to find technical solutions to respect environmental standards without sacrificing economical viability.

NTFP users and other key-actors; central Government, local Government, technical partners, suppliers and buyers are interested in participating and co-operating.

C. PRIOR OBLIGATIONS AND PREREQUISITES

� Confirmation of approval of Government of the project partners, budget and activities. � Agreement of the pilot site selection procedure � Agreement by the Royal Netherlands Embassy of the project partner and management arrangements

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A. B. IMPLEMENTATION ARRANGEMENTS

This project is to be implemented by IUCN through the Non-wood Forest Products Research Centre of MARD, as the principle partner and official Government counterpart.

Implementation of the pilot activities will be facilitated through two sub-contracts with ECO-ECO and CRES.

Overall strategic direction and co-ordination will come from the Project Steering Committee. A small advisory committee, comprising IUCN, the Centre, ECO-ECO and CRES will ensure co-ordination of the different project components.

1. The Project Steering Committee

A national Steering Committee will be established in Hanoi. The Steering Committee will have general monitoring functions, it will have strategic development functions, and will provide broad political support and direction to the project. The Steering Committee will meet for the first time during the project inception phase, and then, at least twice each year to review progress reports and approve six-monthly project strategy documents. The Steering Committee will not have management or financial responsibilities. It will be convened and serviced by the Centre, with support from the Project.

The Steering Committee membership is currently being determined by MoSTE and MARD but will include:

� Vice Minister of MARD � Vice Minister of MoSTE � Director of the NFPRC. � Country Representative of IUCN

In summary, the objectives of the Steering Committee are to:

� provide broad political support to the project, to its activities, and to its outputs; � provide ongoing guidance and advice to the project; � assist in dissemination and promotion of project outputs; and, � oversee and facilitate co-ordination of project activities and governmental inputs.

1. NFPRC

The NFPRC of the Vietnam Forest Science Institute in MARD has been appointed by the Government as the IUCN counterpart for this project. The Director of the Centre will be the National Project Director of this project.

The National Project Co-ordinator will be selected by the National Project Director. The Centre, with project support, will act as the Secretariat to the Steering Committee.

The Centre will house the national project office, which will include:

National Project Co-ordinator

IUCN Chief Technical Advisor

(part-time) IUCN Marketing Advisor

NTFP marketing officer

Project monitoring officer

Accountant/bookkeeper

Secretary/interpreter

The salary of the Project Co-ordinator is covered by the Government. Other project staff will be recruited through the project.

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In addition to the secretariat role of the project, the Centre will provide technical assistance in the pilot projects, and help Eco-Eco and CRES with specific training and advise. These types of inputs will be provided through contractual arrangements.

2. IUCN - The World Conservation Union

IUCN will be the implementing agency for this project. IUCN will recruit a full-time Senior Technical Advisor(STA) who will be the project team leader. The IUCN STA and the national Project Co-ordinator will, together, manage the project and be responsible for work planning and reporting to the Steering Committee on progress. For project operational issues, the STA reports to the National Project Director.

IUCN is responsible for the financial management of the project, and will account for the expenditure, according to agreed reporting formats. A project accountant/bookkeeper will maintain records of expenditure, but final accounting will be done by the IUCN office accountant. Project accounts will be audited at yearly intervals.

IUCN takes the responsibility for overall quality control of the project. IUCN and its technical staff on the project will ensure that activities are carried out according to agreed schedules and that targets are met. Lessons in implementation will be documented and disseminated on a continuing basis as part of the project’s communications and awareness raising programme. IUCN will ensure that these lessons go to improved performance in the project and are fed through the regional NTFP network.

3. Field Project Arrangements

To ensure local participation and long-term sustainability of the project activities, each pilot project will have a local institution as counterpart. In Bac Kan this will be ECO-ECO and in Ha Tinh it will be CRES.

Sub-contracts will be signed between IUCN and these two organisations, giving them the responsibility for co-ordinating the activities in the pilot sites. Field offices will be established and each field office and pilot project will be managed by a full-time field co-ordinator, who will be appointed in consultation with IUCN and the Centre.

The field co-ordinators will report to the IUCN Senior Technical Advisor, who is a member of the Project Secretariat. The Project Secretariat will oversee the planning of the activities in the demonstration sites. Annual Plans of Operation and disbursement requests for funding will have to be approved by the project secretariat.

Based on the experience gained in the field and following discussions with project partners a suitable local management structure will be set up. The NTFP Management Committees will include representatives from the Government departments which have an influence over forest conservation and NTFP regulation. Preferably, they should be chaired by the Director of the Department for Agriculture and Rural Development which is responsible for the demonstration area. The field co-ordinators will act as secretaries to the local management committees.

4. Advisory Committee

A small advisory committee will be established to ensure co-ordination between the national component and the two demonstration sites. This committee will comprise:

National Project Director - chair

IUCN Country Representative

Director of ECO-ECO

Director of CRES

The committee will meet regularly, and review how best to promote collaboration between the project components.

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The responsibilities of the project secretariat, the other parts of the NTFP Research Centre, ECO-ECO and CRES are

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described in the following tables.

ACTIVITY Centre Proj.Sec. Eco-Eco CRES

CAPACITY 1.1.1 xx XXX

BUILDING 1.1.2 xx XXX

1.1.3 xx XXX

1.1.4 xx XXX

1.1.5 xx XXX

1.1.6 xx XXX

1.1.7 XXX xx

1.1.8 XXX xx

1.1.9 XXX xx

1.1.10 xx XXX

1.1.11 xx XXX

1.2.1 xx XXX

1.3.1 XXX xx

1.3.2 XXX xx

1.3.3 XXX xx xx xx

1.3.4 xx XXX xx xx

1.4.1 xx XXX

1.4.2 xx XXX

1.5.1 xx XXX

1.5.2 xx XXX

NTFP PLANNING 2.1.1 xx XXX XXX

AND 2.1.2 xx XXX XXX

DEVELOPMENT 2.2.1 TA xx XXX XXX

2.2.2 TA TA XXX XXX

2.2.3 XXX xx xx xx

2.2.4 xx XXX xx xx

2.2.5 xx xx XXX XXX

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ACTIVITY Centre Proj.Sec. Eco-Eco CRES

NTDP PLANNING 2.3.1 xx XXX

AND 2.3.2 TA xx XXX XXX

DEVELOPMENT 2.3.3 xx XXX XXX

(cont.) 2.3.4 xx XXX XXX

2.3.5 xx XXX XXX

2.3.6 TA xx XXX XXX

2.3.7 TA XXX xx xx

2.3.8 xx XXX XXX

2.4.1 XXX xx

2.4.2 xx XXX

2.4.3 xx XXX

2.4.4 xx XXX

2.4.5 xx XXX

2.5.1 xx XXX

2.5.2 xx XXX

2.5.3 xx XXX

2.5.4 xx XXX XXX

AWARENESS 3.1.1. xx XXX

3.1.2 xx xx XXX XXX

3.1.3 xx XXX

3.1.4 TA XXX

3.1.5 xx XXX XXX

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A. WORK- PLAN

The proposed duration of the project is three years, with the understanding that a continuation of the project is likely if the results of the first phase are satisfactory. The project will start with an inception phase, comprising three months after the arrival of the STA. A mid-term review will take place during the second year of operation.

1. Inception phase (three months)

The first three months will be used to set up the Hanoi office, set in place administrative arrangements, select pilot sites and local partners and team members. The Steering Committee will be established and convened to consider and approve the inception report.

Meanwhile, ECO-ECO and CRES will establish field stations in Bac Kan and Ha Tinh, on the basis of sub-contracts. The details of these arrangements will be reviewed in the inception report.

The inception report will provide the details for implementing the project, including a strategy for the rest of the project and an action plan for following eighteen months, until the mid-term review.

2. Start-up phase (until mid-term review)

During the beginning of the project, the following baseline surveys will be carried out

� Training needs assessment of NFPRC staff. � Resource needs assessment of the NFPRC. � Identification of potential partners for future activities (in particular business partners). � Ecological and environmental baseline survey in the pilot sites. � Socio-economic baseline survey in the pilot sites. � Identification of promising products through local market system analysis in the pilot sites. � Technological and scientific baseline survey in the pilot sites. � Formulation of NTFP management strategies in the pilot sites

On the basis of these surveys, project activities will be planned and implemented. In particular, training for the NFPRC will be provided, a resource centre will be established and status reports will be written about the pilot sites.

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1. Mid-term review and evaluation

At the end of the first two years of the project there will be a review of the project and an evaluation of the progress and impact of the interventions. The outcome of this review will be a detailed work-plan for the rest of Phase I and recommendations for a possible Phase II.

2. Consolidation Phase

During the last year of the project, initiatives will be consolidated, and the recommendations of the mid-term review will be incorporated in the project activities. At the end of the first phase, the following will be achieved:

1. NTFP resource centre and library established 1. Strengthened the NFPRC 1. Network of NTFP users is active 1. Formulation of a NTFP management plan in each pilot site. 1. Formulation of a product and market development plan for each site 1. Formulation of a market strategy and strategic alliances plan for targeted products. 1. Preparation of materials for awareness raising. 1. Review of useful laws and regulations. 1. Recommendations and work-plan for Phase II.

A. MONITORING AND EVALUATION

1. National Level

A serious shortcoming of most environmental and economic development projects is the absence of baseline data and impact monitoring of activities during the preparatory, operational and final phases of the project. The lack of appropriate ecological and economic monitoring impedes technical progress and effective marketing results, making it difficult to learn from experience.

Keeping the project relevant and on track: One of the reasons for preparing and implementing a monitoring programme is to ensure a mechanism for sound project management. As the situation and circumstances which determine the NTFP market in the country are new, it is important that the monitoring process provide relevant information that can be used to assess whether project approach or objectives need to be changed in light of experience.

The STA will be responsible for project progress monitoring and evaluation, with assistance from the IUCN Project Support Officer. As the concept of monitoring and evaluation is very weak in Vietnam, the STA will raise awareness of its importance with project partners and will seek to involve them more actively in the monitoring programme as the project proceeds. The project will include Vietnamese project monitoring staff, who will take over the responsibility for project monitoring.

The monitoring programme will include:

� An inception report after three months of inputs by the STA. This report will provide details about the pilot sites, describe management arrangements, review the working relationship with the project counterpart, and give recommendations about the future of the project. The report will also review the budget, and may recommend changes or adjustments to planned expenditure.

� Six-monthly work plans which define indicators of progress. � Six-monthly reports on progress, problems and constraints identified and encountered, including proposed solutions.

The STA and the Project Co-ordinator will prepare the quarterly progress reports for local partners and IUCN. � Annual participatory evaluation involving project beneficiaries. � An annual review of project progress to be undertaken by IUCN. � A mid-phase I review in year 2 by the Netherlands Government with inputs from an IUCN Consultant. � Annual written reports which will detail progress and problems and present recommendations for the project based

on the evaluation of findings.

Monitoring the biodiversity resource stocks: The difficulty in managing a NTFP conservation and development project is

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to maintain a proper balance between NTFP use, marketing capacity and NTFP conservation and carrying capacity at selected sites. In this case, a major role of the monitoring component is to provide an early warning of potential ecological damage, threats to biodiversity and lack of sustainability, and to provide remedies or alternative strategies.

Keeping abreast of the status of resource stocks is one of the most challenging aspects of project monitoring and of a successful NTFP industry. The project team will establish frameworks for monitoring of stocks at each pilot site and assess their effectiveness as part of the overall regular project evaluations. The Provincial DoSTEs are responsible for co-ordinating annual State of Environment Reports which are required to include an assessment of the status of natural resource stocks. Current efforts are rudimentary and MoSTE and DoSTE staff will need to be closely involved in the monitoring training and field activities associated with this project.

Capacity building in monitoring and assessment will be given proper emphasis. In the advanced stages of the project and after proper training of Centre staff, responsibility for project progress monitoring and evaluation will be transferred to the Centre. Technical capability in biodiversity monitoring will be developed through a series of training workshops and field exercises, and through on-the-job training in the pilot areas.

1. Field level

Monitoring and evaluation at the pilot project level will include the following components:

� Environmental and socio-economic monitoring programmes will be carried out by the local Field Staff who will be trained in monitoring activities. Supervision of monitoring activities will be provided by the STA and National Project Co-ordinator in collaboration with the provincial extension workers. Reports summarising monitoring results and methodology will be submitted quarterly to the STA.

� Annual evaluations will be undertaken by the STA and National Project Co-ordinator as an on-going part of its training.

� Quarterly progress reports will be submitted by the Field Co-ordinators at each pilot site, for review by the STA and National Project Co-ordinator. The project team and field co-ordinators will meet together every three months to review progress.

INDICATIVE BUDGET (in US$)

Code* ITEMS Unit Unit year 1 year 2 year 3 TOTAL

price

A PERSONNEL & RELATED COSTS

700 Chief Technical Advisor m/m 12,000 36 144,000 144,000 144,000 432,000

701 Short-term advisors and missions 20,000 30,000 30,000 80,000

702 NTFP Marketing Advisor m/m 10,000 12 40,000 40,000 40,000 120,000

703 Project Coordinator allowance m/m 400 36 4,800 4,800 4,800 14,400

723 Marketing Staff m/m 800 36 9,600 9,600 9,600 28,800

724 Monitoring Staff m/m 550 36 6,600 6,600 6,600 19,800

725 Accountant/Secretary m/m 500 36 6,000 6,000 6,000 18,000

727 Gender expert m/m 2,000 7 6,000 2,000 6,000 14,000

Sub-total 237,000 243,000 247,000 727,000

B OPERATIONAL COSTS

291 Local staff in-country travel & allow. 15,000 15,000 15,000 45,000

295 Expatriate in-country travel & allow. 10,000 10,000 10,000 30,000

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A. ANNEX 1: BUDGET NOTES 1. Personnel and related costs

700: IUCN Chief Technical Advisor: Costs include the salary and all indemnities such as transportation, insurance, pension, and other allowances. The STA will be recruited for three years.

701: Short-term advisors and missions: Short-term external inputs in order to perform specific specialised tasks, for example international marketing studies. The project will try as far as possible to recruit at local and regional level. If these are not available, international experts will be recruited. This budget line also includes missions from the Country office as described in the correspondence between IUCN and DGIS.

702: IUCN Marketing Advisor: Costs include the salary and all indemnities such as transportation, insurance, pension, and other allowances. The advisor will be recruited for a three four-month periods.

703: A National Project Co-ordinator will be appointed by the NTFP Research Centre. This budget line provides an allowance to cover full-time involvement in the project, and enable the co-ordinator to terminate any other "additional" activities in which s/he may currently be involved.

723: marketing staff; The project will recruit a Vietnamese marketing officer. The budget includes salary and associated costs.

724: Monitoring staff: The project will recruit a Vietnamese monitoring officer. The budget includes salary and associated costs.

725: accountant/secretary; The project will need an accountant/secretary. The budget includes salary and associated costs.

300 Vehicles and motorcycles 2 + 2 66,000 66,000

302 Computers/printers 15,000 5,000 20,000

303 Office equipment and furnishings 25,000 25,000

355 Communications 6,000 6,000 6,000 6,000 18,000

359 Stationary, hospitality, running cost 5,000 5,000 5,000 5,000 15,000

328 Vehicle running costs 5,000 5,000 5,000 15,000

384 Training abroad 25,000 25,000 25,000 75,000

269 Training in-country 20,000 20,000 20,000 60,000

382 Workshops 6,000 15,000 15,000 36,000

Sub-total 198,000 106,000 101,000 405,000

C PROGRAMME COSTS

860 Library/resource centre 4,000 3,000 3,000 10,000

862 ECO-ECO Sub-contract 37,000 43,000 40,000 120,000

863 CRES Sub-contract 37,000 43,000 40,000 120,000

Vietamese expert inputs 10,000 10,000 10,000 30,000

378 Publications/technical reports 2,000 2,000 2,000 6,000

392 Translation 3,000 3,000 3,000 9,000

500 CONTINGENCIES 25,000 25,000 25,000 75,000

Sub-total 118,000 129,000 123,000 370,000

D MONITORING

865 Project supervision 4,000 4,000 4,000 12,000

271 IUCN Technical review and assistance m/m 10,000 3 10,000 10,000 10,000 30,000

Sub-total 14,000 14,000 14,000 42,000

TOTAL 567,000 492,000 485,000 1,544,000

E PROJECT MANAGEMENT

956 IUCN Administration 7..5% 42,525 36,900 36,375 115,800

GRAND TOTAL 609,525 528,900 521,375 1,659,800

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727: Gender issue expert: A short-term consultant input to ensure that gender is addressed in all project activities. The expert will be recruited for 2 months at the start of the project to help with the project development and for one month in year 3 to review the project achievements. A expert will be recruited in the Region.

2. 3. Operational costs

291: local staff in-country travel & allowances: transportation costs and per diem of the Vietnamese staff.

295: expatriate in-country travel & allowances: transportation costs and per diem of the expatriate staff.

300: vehicles: the project will purchase one 4-wheel-drive vehicle and one station-wagon, or small van for the project office. The project will also buy one motorcycle each for the two demonstration projects

302: computers and printers: four PC sets for the project office and one portable computer, four sets for other divisions of the Centre, one portable computer for the NPD.

303: Office equipment will include photocopiers, telefax machines, overhead projectors. Furnishings will include Air conditioners for the project office, furniture and fining cabinets.

355: Communication and reporting costs: all fax, telephone, stationery, mailing costs for the project office.

359: Electricity , water, stationary, photocopying, and other office operational costs.

328: vehicle running costs for project office: cost of fuel, insurance and vehicles maintenance.

384: Training abroad: the project will sent staff, project partners, and beneficiaries for training abroad for example in RECOFTC, Thailand for NTFP marketing training course.

269: In-country training: the project will provide training for staff, project partners, and beneficiaries in Vietnam. This will include technical training and English language training.

382: Workshops: workshops will be organised at different stages of the project to train project beneficiaries and extension workers. Workshops will also be organised to provide information about more general NTFP issues.

4. Programme Costs

860: Library/Resources Centre. The project will provide resources to purchase books, videos, posters and other materials to be used for training, awareness raising and generasl education on NTFP and biodiversity conservation.

862: Sub-contract with ECO-ECO

863: Sub-contract with CRES

864: Vietnamese expert inputs: Funds to recruit specialists and local experts to provide inputs into the programme. Contracts will be signed with the NPD, and will contain clear TOR which have been developed by STA and NPC.

378: Publication and technical reports: the costs for the preparation, printing and distribution of the project results and technical reports.

392: Translation: translation of documents from English to Vietnamese and in reverse.

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5. Monitoring

865: Project supervision: Cost of district and provincial authorities visits and meetings to guide the project and ensure that activities are in line with national and provincial development goals. This includes operation of the Steering Committee.

271: IUCN technical review and assistance: the costs of technical missions from the IUCN NTFP Network and the IUCN Forest Programme.

956: IUCN administration: Administrative costs which are 7.5% of the project budget as agreed between IUCN and DGIS.

B. ANNEX 2: FUNCTIONS OF INTERNATIONAL PROJECT STAFF

Chief Technical Advisor

The Senior Technical Advisor(STA) is the senior IUCN representative in the project. S/he will have overall management of the project technical inputs, and be responsible for the financial control of the project budget. The STA will report to the National Project Director.

In close consultation with the Director of the Non-wood Forest Products Research Centre and the Project Coordinator, the STA’s functions include:

� Providing technical advice to the Steering Committee, the Director of the Centre and project partners on NTFP conservation and development

� Preparing and implementing the project’s long term strategies and work plans � Designing and co-ordinating the overall monitoring and evaluation programme � Designing and implementing the overall training programme � The sustainability of the project and, in particular, building the capacity of the Centre to effectively take on

responsibilities of project activities and initiatives � Ensuring productive working relations between the project and central and provincial government agencies � Overseeing all sub-contractual arrangements with non government IUCN partners, and others � Designing and implementing the communications programme, including the final quality control of all technical

reports, discussion papers and other project publications � Overall technical and financial management of the project � Preparation of key proposals for policy and procedural reform stemming form lessons of the project

Preferred qualifications, skills and knowledge of the STA are:

Essential criteria are: demonstrated experience in the management of integrated conservation and development projects and in the co-ordination of a project team; sound technical knowledge and understanding of biodiversity conservation and sustainable development and community management of natural resources; understanding of Government procedures and work ethics; and English and computer competency. The desirable criteria are - Experience with activities for income generation based on NTFPs or related products, Vietnamese language skills, .

NTFP Marketing Advisor

Working to the STA, and in close consultation with the Co-ordinator, the objectives for the marketing advisor’s input are to:

1. Advise the Project on all issues related to the marketing of NTFPs, including the influence of laws, policy and regulations, local rules and practices, and the nature of current markets and marketing systems.

1. Support the Project and its local partners to develop the capacity to undertake MSA & D, sub-sector analysis and other methods of marketing research at village, provincial and national levels.

1. Through the use of these methods, assist the Project to identify potential products for further development and to complete the necessary feasibility studies and business plans.

1. Assist with the implementation of business plans and with the monitoring and evaluation of marketing activities.

It is envisaged that the advisor will:

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� Prepare advice, detailed plans and training materials related to the adoption of MSA & D. � Conduct training and follow-up exercises to equip Project staff and local partners with the skills and knowledge

required to undertake marketing studies and establish marketing information systems. � Assist the Project to implement all stages of MSA &D, including the collection and analysis of information. � Review the legal and institutional environment of NTFP marketing and provide advice and recommendations to the

Project for dealing with this environment. � Undertake as directed, research at local to international levels to identify and report on: � NTFP experts, entrepreneurs, institutions and organisations; � Opportunities for establishing strategic alliances among such individuals and organisations; � Trade in NTFPs; � Cultivation, storage and processing technology; � Past and current customer trends for selected NTFPs, customer needs and standardisation in the industry � Costing, infrastructure and securities for trade; � Data bases and sources of information; � Participate in monitoring and reviewing the Project’s marketing activities

Preferred qualifications, skills and knowledge of the Advisor are:

Essential criteria are: demonstrated experience in the management or development of NTFP-based businesses, or in development projects for income generation based on NTFPs or related products; experience and knowledge of Marketing Systems Analysis and development, sub-sector analysis or other marketing research methods and tools; and English and computer competency. The desirable criteria are - experience and/or knowledge of NTFP trade in Vietnam and in the design and implementation of market information systems and marketing training programme.

Gender specialist

The Project requires the services of a gender specialist to advise the Project on how to consider gender issues to the fullest extent possible in all aspects of the Project’s work.

The objectives for the specialist’s input are to provide:

1. Background information and commentary on the nature of rural communities and other institutions at the district, provincial and national level, specifically related to gender differences, awareness and analysis relevant to the Project’s work. This will include identification of specific gender issues that should be considered by the Project in its fieldwork, support to the NFPRC, and Project management.

1. Comments, advice, guidelines and recommendations concerning the Project’s capacity and methods for undertaking participatory planning and action in villages to take account of the gender issues identified above.

1. Comments, advice, guidelines and recommendations for improving the Project’s capacity and methods for considering gender issues in all activities to address the relevant issues identified above. These inputs should be presented in the form of a plan of action for the Project, which includes a strategy, activities, timetable and costs for how the recommendations are to be implemented over a specific time period.

It is envisaged that the specialist will:

� Study Project documents and discuss the Project’s strategy, objectives and activities with Project staff. � Obtain information about the types of social and physical environments in which the Project is working � Undertake a review of the literature relevant to the Project’s aims and context and identify key gender and

development issues related to these aims and context. � Consult and discuss these issues with appropriate organisations and resource persons. � Write a brief background paper to inform the Project about the relevant existing knowledge and views concerning

gender and development and to identify clearly the key issues for the Project’s field work, support to the NFPRC, and for Project Management generally

� Prepare a detailed report containing comments, advice, guidelines and recommendations for improving the capacity and methods for undertaking participatory planning and action in villages

� Summarise in writing, the current situation of how gender issues are integrated into Project management. � Prepare a draft plan of action describing the preferred situation of gender integration for the Project and how the

Project can get there. � Prepare and submit three copies of the final plan based on feedback and advice from Project staff.

Preferred qualifications, skills and knowledge of the Specialist are:

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Essential criteria: tertiary qualifications in the social sciences, rural development, or related discipline; demonstrated experience in gender analysis, awareness raising and training in rural development projects in the region; experience and knowledge of participatory diagnostic and planning methods including Participatory Rural appraisal, and English competency. Desirable criteria: work experience in gender and development in Vietnam, and knowledge or experience in community-based resource management.

A. ANNEX 3: THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE DEMONSTRATION PROJECTS.

The following outline describes the approach which will be followed by Eco-Eco in Bac Kan province during the first six months. CRES will carry out similar activities in Ha Tinh province.

During the first three months basic information will be gathered for the area. During the second three months an assessment will be made of suitable sites for the establishment of two ecological villages. During these second three months, the first steps in a Market System Analysis will also be carried out, but further details about this will be elaborated during the inception phase, in consultation with the IUCN advisors and the NTFPRC.

Month 1 - 3

Collection of available date on natural and human resources, in BaBe National Park and neighbouring communities. Work to be carried out by Eco-Eco, together with the Institute of Forest Survey of the Forest Science Institute, with assistance from the Peoples Committee of Bac Kan Province, the Peoples Committee of BaBe district and the Administrative board of the BaBe National Park

Month 2 - 4

Analysis of collected data, and preparation of a working plan for a NTFP field study of BaBe National Park and sourrounding communes. Work to be carried out by Eco-Eco.

Month 3 - 5

Supplementary survey of NTFP in BaBe National Park and selection of possible species for cultivation. Work to be carried out by Eco-Eco, together with BaBe District staff and National Park staff.

Month 2 - 6

Assessment of possible sites for ecological villages and elaboration of a working plan for the establishment of two ecological villages in BaBe District. Work to be carried out by Eco-Eco, together with staff from Ba Be district and the National Park.

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SUSTAINABLE UTILIZATION OF NON-TIMBER FOREST PRODUCTS · ethic minorities, to cultural diversity....

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