CIAT Vietnam

Project background

The project titled ‘Livestock-led interventions towards equitable livelihoods and improved environment in the North-West Highlands of Vietnam’ (2019-2021), led by CIAT and representing a joint effort among multiple CGIAR centres, aims to stimulate system transformation (livelihoods, environment, equity, and market access) to empower highland farming communities through bundled livestock-based interventions in North-West (NW) Vietnam (in the Son La province). To achieve this broad goal, one of the specific objectives involves identifying, facilitating and evaluating institutional innovations that stimulate local livestock product development, market linkages and effective service delivery for a sustainable commercialization, benefiting equitably all gender and ethnic groups in NW Vietnam.

Project activities where the intern may contribute: Among other activities, the project team will:

• Facilitate linkages between producers, slaughterhouses, transformers, traders and retailers, and support the creation and better governance of farmers groups, especially in the lowlands and midlands of the Son La province.
• Especially in the highlands, the project team will assess and support participation of women and members of ethnic minorities to allow all community members to have the opportunity to benefit from the improved market linkages.
• Collect data characterize and analyze dynamics of intensification occurring within the context of fast-changing livestock production; with producers reacting dynamically to changing market opportunities, resource constraints, innovative technologies as well as  regulatory and policy shifts.
• Conduct a ‘deep dive’ on gender and livestock in selected communes.
  Depending on the needs and state of advancement of the project, as well as with the fit with the student background and interests, the student may contribute to one or more of the following activities.
  Location of the internship: Depending on the selected activities, the student may be based either in Hanoi or in the Son La province, preferably in the midlands or highlands:
• In the midlands, beef and pork producers will be connected to the lowland transformers, stimulating sustainable production and developing market-oriented livelihoods. In the long term, for the emerging and semi-commercial crop-livestock farmers in the midlands, the aim is to generate more income through stronger crop-tree-livestock interactions, more efficient use of available biomass, improved animal health and linkages to markets with the lowland producers and value chain actors.
• In the highlands, ethnic minority farmers (H'Mong and Thai) predominate. Here, the focus will be on animal husbandry, resilience against diseases, and generally enhanced productivity, as the systems are characterized by their remoteness and a fragile environment. Local pig breeds are kept in these areas and could attract added value by linking to the markets in the lowlands, raising farmers’ awareness on livestock’s potential for income generation.