FINAL REPORT*

WORLD BANK & MARD - FOREST SECTOR DEVELOPMENT PROJECT

National Ethnic Minority and Social Impact Specialists

Dr. Ha Huu Nga

Abbreviations and Acronyms

CNA                 Conservation Needs Assessment

CPCU              Central Project Coordination Unit

CPC                 Commune People’s Committee

CTA                 Chief Technical Advisor

CWG               Commune Working Group

DEC                 District Extension Center

DIU                  District Implementation Unit

DPC                 District People’s Committee

DOF                Department of Forestry

EM                  Ethnic Minority

EMDP             Ethnic Minority Development Plan

EMDS             Ethnic Minority Development Strategy

EMDDS           Ethnic Minority Development DIU Staff

EM-SD            Ethnic Minority and Social Development

EM-SIS            National Ethnic Minority and Social Impacts specialist

FSDP               Forest Sector Development Project

FFG                 Farm Forestry Group

FSSP                Forest Sector Support Program

FPD                 Forest Protection Department

HH                   Household

LUC                 Land Use Certificate

MARD             Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development

M&E               Monitoring and Evaluation

NOL                 Non-Objection Letter

OMP               Operational Management Plans

PA                   Protected Area

PEC                  Provincial Extension Centre

PIM                 Project Implementation Manual

PP                    Project Proposals

PPMUs           Provincial Project Management Units

PPC                 Provincial People’s Committee

RTA                 Regional Technical Assistance

SA                    Social Assessments

SFE                  State Forest Enterprise

SUF                 Special Use Forest

TA                    Technical Assistance

TL                    Team Leader

TOR                 Terms of Reference

USD                 United States Dollars

VCF                 Vietnam Conservation Fund

VBSP               Vietnam Bank for Social Policies

VND                Vietnam Dong

WB                  World Bank

List of Contents

Summary


. ii

1. Background. 5

1.1.Objectives. 5

1.2. Terms of Reference. 5

1.3. Team Mobilization. 6

1.4. Strategy and methodology for implementation. 7

2.   Specific Outputs. 10

2.1. Outputs achieved under collaboration with the Ethnic Minority Specialist: 10

2.2. Outputs achieved in  liaison with the  provincial participation consultants. 13

2.3. Outputs achieved with the TAs, CPCU, PPMUs, DIUs, CWGs and villagers: 15

3.   Assessment and Evaluation. 22

3.1. Assessment and Evaluation of EMDPs’ Implementation Outcomes and Impacts: 22

3.2. Lessons learnt from the implementation of the EMDPs’ activities. 25

4. Recommendations. 28

4.1. Recruitment of DIU EMDP staff for New EMDPs. 28

4.2. Facilitation of New EMDPs Implementation: 28

4.3. Assessment and Evaluation of EMDPs Case Studies: 28

4.4. A conference of Assessment and Evaluation of EMDPs: 28

5.   Appendices. 29

5.1. All Field Trips conducted. 29

5.2. Traing Workshops and Training Courses conducted. 35

5.3. Terms of Reference for Ethnic Minority Development DIU Staff 37

5.4. FSDP Ethnic Minority Communes. 40

5.5. Set of indicators for assessment of EMDPs in the case studies. 41

5.6. Assessment of EMDPs Implementation Results Until 31 October, 2009. 45

1. Background

 

1.1.Objectives

In accordance with OD 4.20, MARD has prepared a draft Ethnic Minority Development Strategy (EMDS), which was adopted by MARD through Decision 746 QD/BNN-LN of March 30, 2004. The ethnic minority development strategy aims to promote opportunities of positive project impact on ethnic minority people, reduce risk of negative impact.  The central element of the strategy is to reinforce local participation of ethnic minority people in regional development activities / projects. Through the strategy, participation of local ethnic minority communities is reinforced in two ways: (i) By encouraging local ethnic minority representatives to formally participate in project management issues at the local level; and (ii) By promoting a participatory process for the design of plantations, and the improved management of protected areas.

The preparation of EMDPs is required for every project commune with more than 20% ethnic minority people. Thus each of the project communes with one or more ethnic minority communities, or mixed communities, prepares an Ethnic Minority Development Plan to promote activities that create opportunities for the concerned communities. These activities are not designed for alternative income generation activities, but focus more on strengthening the capacity of the Ethnic Minority people to ensure that they can participate in the project successfully. The budget for each Development Activity is limited to USD 600. The total budget for the Development Activities is USD 750,000, including 10% for facilitation and USD 100,000 for contingencies.

 

1.2. Terms of Reference

The National Ethnic Minority and Social Impacts specialist (EM-SIS) was mobilized on board from November, 2007 with the following scope of work and main responsibilities: i) To work closely with the International Ethnic Minority Specialist and provincial project staff to ensure that they are aware of the provisions of the Ethnic Minority Development Strategy and the Resettlement Policy Framework, and that they act according to those provisions when relevant; ii) To liaise with and the provincial participation consultants to ensure that they are aware of the provisions of the Ethnic Minority Development Strategy and the Resettlement Policy Framework, and that they act according to those provisions when relevant; iii) To prepare development plans for ethnic minority communes. This will mainly be done through a series of joint visits to these communes. The plan will be fully based on the ethnic minority development strategy prepared by MARD and will be prepared through the participatory process designed through the project’s social assessment; iv) To identify facilitators among NGOs or training institutions already active in the districts of these communes, or among other local institutions to implement the ethnic minority development plans; v) To identify among existing training material in human resource development and community capacity strengthening in Vietnam materials appropriate to the needs and communication skills of ethnic minority people in the 4 project provinces. To supervise their adjustment for use in the project area; vi) To assist and ensure the implementation of the plans in the ethnic minority communes; vii) To assist provincial project offices to prepare plans for ethnic minority communes; viii) To review the use of training material and make improvements if needed; ix) To undertake training and workshops for relevant project staff in the field; x) To continuously assess the impacts of the project in ethnic minority communities, and assist in the final evaluation of the project; xi) To assess on an ongoing basis the extent to which acquisition of land and assets is required and ensure that any land or asset acquisition is undertaken in compliance with the provisions of the resettlement policy framework; xii) To assist in the preparation of a report regarding lessons learned in ethnic minority communities, and the relevance and potential of plantation forestry for reduction of poverty in these communities.

 

1.3. Team Mobilization

Table 1. Timing for Specialists under the Package 1

Post	Fielded	Person-Months
Chief Technical Advisor/ Team Leader	October 18, 2007	42
Senior Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist	17 December, 2007	18
International Ethnic Minority/ Social Development Specialist	14 January 2008	6
Monitoring and Evaluation Specialist	October 2007	40
National Ethnic Minority/ Social development Specialist	04 Nov 2007	24
Total:		130

   

1.4. Strategy and methodology for implementation

1.4.1. Provision of advice to the CPCU

Ethnic Minority and Social Impact Specialists will facilitate developing the strategy of implementation of Ethnic Minority and Social Developmental activities, and setting up of the specific roles and responsibilities of the relevant personel with the CPCU and the PPMUs.  Activities of the Technical Assistance team can thus be summarized as follows: 1) Review and improve on ethnic minority development measures: i) Initial assessment of measures; ii) Revision of guidelines and parameters; Assessment of measures will include looking at the cultural and socioeconomic particularities of the four project provinces, and defining parameters for the measurement of possible cultural and socioeconomic impacts from project implementation and its results. An important activity of these assessments will thus be to examine current EMDPs and Development Activities thus far to provide recommendations for their improvement, and examining training materials to support EMDP activities to provide recommendations for improvement as needed. 2) Training, Impact Assessment, and Reporting: i) Training and awareness on ethnic minority issues; ii) Assessment of project general impact to ethnic minorities; iii) Ethnic minority case studies on FSDP impact (update assessment of social risks and opportunities); iv) Training on social aspects, including ethnic minority development plans/ activities. 3) Guidelines on sociocultural aspects of FSDP: i) Guidance to project stakeholders on social/ cultural aspects of FSDP; ii) Guidelines for conducting sociocultural monitoring throughout the project components at the various levels; iii) Guidelines on social and cultural aspects of FSDP; iv) Guidance for mainstreaming all EM concerns to the project components at the various levels; v) Guidance for assessment of project impacts to community groups (minority and non-minority) at target sites; vi) Guidance to prevent social risks to ethnic and non-ethnic community groups, but ethnic in particular. 4) Dissemination of drafted guidelines through training workshops and Monitoring on implementation of guidelines throughout the project components. 5) Social Aspects of Project Implementation and Planning and Establishment of Smallholder Forest Plantations: i) Preparation and Information Campaign phase carried out by the Provincial and District Implementation Units in the planting districts and communes respectively; ii)  Village Participatory Process phase carried out by District Implementation Units and the Community Working Groups with assistance from the Provincial Management Units; iii) The Land Allocation phase which undertaken by the District Land Office; iv) The Plantation Development phase with extension activities supplied by the District Extension Centers, credit application by farmers to the District Social Policy Bank, and associated investments and implementation supported by extension and monitoring. 6) The methodologies used for the activites are the follows: i) field trips done with the methods of sociology, anthropology (field observations, questionaire, focus inteviews, semi-structural interviews, group discussions, records by pictures, texts analysis); ii) using the relevant languages in working and meetings with EM villagers (mainly are Bahnar, Bru-Van Kieu, Catu, Champ,  H’re, Kor); iii) using SWOT for assessments and information collection.

1.4.2. Collaboration with other FSDP components

Within the context of Project Management, an important activity to take place within the first quarter of 2008 is to streamline and strengthen coordination between the various components of the project, for activities related to institutional development, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting. 

Consolidation of draft coordination protocols will take place by the start of 2008 to create synergy amongst the main field project components with potential for creating policy initiatives for forest management, and in an effort to establish a comprehensive M&E System for the project.  Initial coordination mechanisms have already been established during the last quarter of 2007, through discussions amongst the various Technical Teams members, and through the conduction of an Inception Workshop facilitated by the CPCU. 

A workshop to consolidate coordination parameters between the various technical assistance packages will take place in early 2008 to develop working coordination modalities between the various Technical Assistance Teams to FSDP components, particularly for activities related to project monitoring and evaluation, and reporting.

Work with TA2, CPCU, other project staff for selecting and improving plantation M&E indicators, improve monitoring sheets for the plantation component and finalize the internal monitoring system for the plantation component.

The smallholder plantation forest component has adopted an approach to the monitoring of the participation of ethnic minority people based on simple but reliable monitoring of beneficiary numbers, and on the monitoring and evaluation of other issues, including social impact, through case studies: i) Types of beneficiaries (farming households, other households, and  organizations) and their plantation areas will be accounted for separately. Name lists  recording participation throughout the duration of the project are used for this purpose. The monitoring system will identify ethnic minority people among beneficiaries in a systematic manner, mentioning the names of ethnics groups; ii) Case studies will be carried out by independent consultants with a background in social sciences at project mid-term and before project end. These case studies serve the purpose of monitoring overall social impact and any outstanding issue. Project communes with ethnic minority people will be a focus point of these case studies; iii) The initial steps of project work in the ethnic minority communities will require additional supervision and support. At the end of Year 1, an evaluation workshop will take place at local level to examine the outcome of the strategy in the first commune and decide on improvements and dissemination to other communes. This workshop will be organized jointly by the CPCU and PPMU where the Year 1 commune is located. Participants in the workshop will include commune and district representatives, the PPMU, the provincial CEMMA, the commune facilitator, and IDA.

1.4.3. Coordination with regional stakeholders

In order to streamline operation of FSDP Ethnic Minority and Social Development system, the need to clarify functions of TA and CPCU and lower levels team through Stakeholder consultations is proposed to be met: i) The primary responsibility for data collection is with the DIU, where one person should be posted to be in charge of Ethnic Minority and Social Development (EM-SD). This person will need the assistance of the CWG and the extension workers to provide primary data. The District Ethnic Minority Development person will work under the guidance of the PPMU EM-SD Specialist, who will consolidate district reports into provincial level reports; ii) The CPCU, and PPMUs, and DIUs will select one person at each level to be in charge of land acquisition. These staff may come from a relevant government agency seconded for this purpose. He/she will preferably be in charge of all social and environmental safeguards under the FSDP; iii) EM-SD Specialist assist CPCU in developing the monitroing and works as ‘monitors of the monitoring’. From there – it provides inputs to reports and suggests management actions, on EM-SD and on FSDP as such; iv) Independent consultants will carry out case studies with a background in social sciences at project mid-term and before project end. These case studies serve the purpose of monitoring overall social impact and any outstanding issue. Project communes with ethnic minority people will be a focus point of these case studies.

2. Specific Outputs

This report falls within the scope of the implementation of the FSDP Ethnic Minority Development Strategy and EMDPs. The specific outputs achieved by the consultant during the mission implementation are the follows (all attached as Appendices to The Final Report in the Final Report CD ROM):

1. EMDP Technical Proposal - Dec. 2007

2. Workshop Presentations - Da Nang City EMDP Workshop - Jan. 2008

3. Workshop Presentations - Buon Ma Thuot City EMDP Workshop Jun. 2008

4. Workshop Presentations - Quang Nam EMDP Training Oct. 2008

5. Workshop Presentations - Quang Ngai EMDP Training Oct. 2008

6. Workshop Presentations - Binh Dinh EMDP Training, Nov. 2008

7. Workshop Presentations - Thua Thien Hue EMDP Training Nov.2008

8. Workshop Presentations - Da Nang City EMDP Workshop - Aug. 2009

9. Workshop Presentations - Hue City EMDP Workshop - Dec. 2009

10. Workshop Presentations - Landscape Planning Presentations Dec.09

11. Comments on the PPMUs' Training Materials

12. One TORs for DIU EM-SD person, July 2008

13. Two Monthly Reports – 2007 (November and December)

14. Twelve Monthly Reports – 2008

15. Twelve Monthly Reports – 2009

16. One Monthly Report – 2010 (January)

17. One Quarterly Report – 2007 (Q.IV)

18. Four Quarterly Reports – 2008

19. Four Quarterly Reports – 2009

20. One Quarterly Report – 2010 (Q.I)

21. A set of Field Trips Notes

22. Field Trips General Report (2007, 2008, 2009, 2010)

23. Nine World Bank Mission Reports

24. Eight Training Reports

25. Report on assessment of EMDPs Implementation Results until 31^st, October 2009

26. A set of toolkits for EMDPs Implementation and Assessment.

27. Final Mission Report.

2.1. Outputs achieved under collaboration with the International Ethnic Minority Specialist:

2.1.1. Assessement of Ethnic Minority Development Plans

17 old EMDPs with all the activities produced by PPMUs, DIUs, and CWGs from Canh Hiep, Canh Hoa, Canh Thuan communes (Van Canh district, Binh Dinh), Vinh An commune (Tay Son districts, Binh Dinh); Ba Dinh, Ba To communes (Ba To district, Quang Ngai) and Tra Bui, Tra Tan communes (Tra Bong district, Quang Ngai); Tra Kot, Tra Nu and Tra Giang communes (Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam); Xuan Loc commune (Phu Loc district, Thua Thien Hue), Thuong Lo, Thuong Long, Thuong Quang communes (Nam Dong district, Thua Thien Hue), Hong Tien commune (Huong Tra districts, Thua Thien Hue) were reviewed and assessed.

All these 17 plans include 106 activities, among the proposed 105 activities, 17 are directly related to the support of project forestry objectives (16.19%), 9 concerns with general project promotion activities (8.57%) while 14 deal with agro forestry support (13.33 %).  Among the remaining activities, 16 are a mix of different activities that address agricultural and livestock production (15.24 %), 11 are related to household economy training (10.48%), 10 support women income generation activities (9.52 %), 7 promote adult literacy (6.67%), 7 encourage livestock improvement (6.67 %), 5 deal with few selected types of vocational training (4.76%) and 5 bring on training on sanitation practices (4.7 %).

Some findings were drawn: i) Targeting is a key issue if the EMDP plans aim to be effective. All plans are not clear enough on how many of the EM households who participate in the EMDP activities have also applied to the FSDP loan; ii) If the economic rationale of the chosen activities is to increase the ability of the households to repay its interest - as it has been mentioned to us lots of times - the activity should have a minimum of cost and benefit analysis; iii) It is unclear the targeting criteria for some activities. For instance it is unclear why in Can Hoa illiteracy training has been limited to 35 year-old person. It should have been extended to cover adult illiterate population at least till 55 year-old person; iv) All plans do not have any clear indication on the relationships between land currently used for food production, households food security concerns and land allocated to plantation; v) No clear explanations are provided on the effect of past development programs in the EM households and in the whole commune; v) No indication on the nature and quality of the participatory process used for the elaboration of the EMDP and its maps is provided. It seems that this issue has been somehow encompassed within the whole participatory process envisaged by the PIM. The meetings mentioned appear to be those indicated by the PIM 19 steps which tend to focus on the whole commune plan.

The recommendations were raised  as the follows: i) Mainstreamed trainings on Ethnic Minority Development Assistance should be given to PPMUs’, DIUs’, and CWGs’ staffs by the National Ethnic Minority and Social Impact Specialist and the PPMU’s community specialist on field trips; ii) Trainings contents should be included as the follows: participatory approach with PRA tools of village history; villagers’ meeting organization for understanding of EM villagers’ concerns while participating in the Project; rapid survey on EM villagers’ livelihood, ect.,.

2.1.2. Improvement of EMDP formulation

After the 2008 assessment of 17 EMDPs, the International Ethnic Minority Specialist proposed a standard template for its future EMDP. The standard EMDP template comprises: i) a standard introduction with the plan rationale and its legal background; ii) a section on the participatory criterion adopted during the EMDP formulation by CWG and DIUs; iii) an overview of the commune socio economic data and ethnic minorities beneficiaries; iv) a section on the commune agricultural and forestry data; v) a commune land use map; vi) an assessment of the activities chosen in the EMDP and their SWOT analysis; vii) a summary of the activities implementation responsibilities; viii) an overall activity budget. Then training on the EMDP standard template was held by the International Ethnic Minority Specialist and supported by the National Ethnic Minority & Social Impact Specialist in Da Nang between the 12 and 13 February 2009.

2.1.3. Proposal on EMDP Case Studies

Along with the standard EMDP template the International Ethnic Minority Specialist raised also a proposal on EMDP Case Studies and suggested that: i) In the second half of 2009 the National Ethnic Minority Specialist in conjunction with the relevant project PPMUs and DIUs conducts an assessment on the effectiveness of the EMDP funded in the year 2007 and implemented in the year 2008; ii) In the second half of 2010 a similar assessment should be done for those EMDPs formulated in 2009 and implemented in 2009 – 2010; iii) The outcome of the assessment shall be supervised by the Senior Ethnic Minority Specialist during his yearly missions.

2.1.4. Concept Note on EMDP Budget

According to the International Ethnic Minority Specialist, the reason for the proposal of Concept Note on EMDP Budget is that the Ethnic Minority Development Strategy (EMDS) foresaw a budget of 600 USD per activity, meanwhile the ceiling of 600 USD was originally established in by the EMDS in 2004.

In 2007 the requested total budget by 17 communes amounted to 6,301,493,570 VND equal to 381,908 USD (exchange rate 1 USD = 16,500), with the average activity budget being 3,638 USD. And the FSDP total budget allocation for EMDP development activities is approximately 750,000 USD (650,000 + 15% contingencies) the budget spent so far in 17 communes amounts to 50.92 % of the total planned budget including contingencies.

In the light of the number of beneficiaries and inflation rate from 2004 to 2009 it is suggested to adapt the budget ceiling of each activity to 3,000 USD and allow a maximum number of 7 activities for each commune formulating a new EMDP.

2.1.5. Setting EMDP indicators for M&E System

The suggested indicators include the following: i) number of communes in which the EMDP has been implemented in any given year throughout the project life; ii) percentage of EMDP planned activities completed at the end of the year; iii) percentage of EMDP budget spent at the end of the year; iv) number of ethnic minorities beneficiaries that participated in the EMDP implemented activities and their % over all participants; v) number of women ethnic minorities beneficiaries that participated in the EMDP implemented activities and their % over all participants; vi) percentage of EM that participated into the EMDP activities and that own a red book; vii) percentage of EM that participated into the EMDP activities and that received a VBSP loan for plantation purposes.

2.2. Outputs achieved in  liaison with the  provincial participation consultants

- The National Ethnic Minority Specialist has been in closely collaboration with the provincial participation consultants in the ensuring that they were aware of the provisions of the Ethnic Minority Development Strategy and the Resettlement Policy Framework, and that they acted according to those provisions when relevant. And the specific outputs achieved from the liaison with them as the follows:

- Almost every field trips of the National Ethnic Minority Specialist to the EMDP communes in the four FSDP provinces were conducted with the presence of provincial participation consultants: Mr. Thoan, from Binh Dinh; Mr. Manh from Quang Ngai; Mr. Quy from Quang Nam, and Mr. Thanh from Thua Thien Hue. (See in detailed in the Appendices, 5.1. All Field Trips conducted).

- The provincial participation consultants participated in all the training courses and training workshops concerning to the ethnic minority development with their specific contributions such as: the cordinator and guide for the training workshop (Mr. Thoan, Mr. Manh, Mr. Quy, and Mr. Thanh); the trainer (Mr. Thoan, provincial participation consultant of Binh Dinh); the compiler of presentations and training materials (Mr. Thoan, provincial participation consultant of Binh Dinh was the man who compiled the PRA tools of Community Meeting, Village Mapping, Problems Ranking, Livelihood Analysis, Problem Tree, Service Matrix).

- The National Ethnic Minority Specialist has been in closely collaboration with the provincial participation consultants in support and facilitation of PPMUs, DIUs, and CWGs, and ethnic minority villagers in their implementation of the EMDPs by way of raising of the relevant comments, recommendations and solutions concerning to the ethnic minority issues and EMDP issues in the National Ethnic Minority Specialist’s Field Trips Notes, Monthly and Quarterly Reports. (See in detailed in the Appendices, 5.1. Field Trips, Monthly and Quarterly Reports).   

- 6 new EMDPs of Quang Ngai (Tra Giang, Tra Lam, Tra Son communes, Tra Bong district; Ba To Town, Ba Thanh, Ba Vinh communes, Ba To district), and 3 new EMDPs of Quang Nam (Phuoc Gia, Phuoc Tra, and Song Tra communes, Hiep Duc district) were written and initially implemented by the relevant CWGs, DIUs, and PPMUs under the assistant collaboration of National Ethnic Minority Specialist and the provincial participation consultants (Mr. Manh from Quang Ngai, and Mr. Quy from Quang Nam).

- All 9 new EMDPs of Quang Nam (Phuoc Gia, Phuoc Tra, Song Tra) and of Quang Ngai (Ba Thanh, Ba To Town, Ba Vinh (Ba To district); Tra Giang, Tra Lam, Tra Son (Tra Bong district) have been  prepared pursuant to the new template trained and provided with by Mr. Giambelli, International Ethnic Minority Specialist; and all the activities were selected by the ethnic minority villagers through the community meetings. (See in detailed in the Appendices, 5.1. Field Trips Notes, Monthly May, 2009 Report, Quarterly II, 2009 Report).    

   

2.3. Outputs achieved under collaboration with the TAs, CPCU, PPMUs, DIUs, CWGs and villagers:

2.3.1. Identifying, reviewing, and making improvements of the use training materials

Table 2. Reviewing of the use training materials

Province	Training Materials reviewed by the Ethnic Minority Specialist	Comments
	1.Technical Document for  guiding of the Machine GPS  map76CSx;	i) The training documents prepared by the three PPMUs were mainstreamed with limited social aspects in  cases of PRA tools and guidances on information and communication; but, ii) Little EM socio-economic, environmental and cultural characterestics were provided with in any training documents; iii) poor problems EM inhabitants face with in land allocation, in food security, in shortage of labour force, in lack in technique skills of forestry plantation were given in any training documents; iv) shortage of EM concerns practically were included in training documents; v) no indications for EM social impacts were set up in any training documents; vi) lack of measures for approach and analysis to relevant EM inhabitants’ social structure and life to obtain improved assistances to the EM villagers.
	2.Workshop presentation on the results of forestation planning in the commune level 2007 – 2010;
	3.Tables of training results;
	4.Tables of training workshop records;
	5.Guidances for villages’ meeting;
	6.Records on the villages’ meetings;
	7.Guidance on land allocation procedures;
	8.Guidance on forestry land allocation for households, individuals, and communities in rural mountainous areas;
	9.Guidance on the Land Laws;
	10.Guidance on the project  information and communication;
	11.Guidances for villages’ meetings;
	12.Records on villages’ meetings;
	13.Guidance on Forestry Farmers Groups;
	14.Guidance on Forest Certificate;
	15.PRA tools for communicating with villagers;
	16.Guidance on Forestry Extension;
	17.Guidance on Forestation Techniques of Acacia Magium and (Acacia Mangium x Acacia Auriculiformis);
	18.Guidance on fruit tree techniques of Citrus Grandis; Citrus Sinensis; Citrus Limon; and Lausium domesticum Hern.
	19. Workshop presentation on the results of forestation planning in the province (2006);
	20. Training on nursery techniques;
	21.Training on using PRA tools in the Project communication and facilitation skills;
	22.  Guidance on Forest Certificate;
	23. Guidance on project comunication and communicating tools with villagers

In collaboration with the TAs, and PPMUs’ Community Specialists (Mr. Thoan, Binh Dinh), Mr. Quy, Quang Nam), Mr. Manh, Quang Ngai), and Mr. Thanh, Thua Thien Hue), the Ethnic Minority Specialist has identified, reviewed all the materials used for training courses in the four FSDP provinces as shown in Table 2. The improvements of the use training materials have been made as the follows: i) in collaboration with the Community Specialist of Binh Dinh (Mr. Thoan), the Ethnic Minority and Social Impacts Specialist has provided the PPMUs’, DIUs’, and CWGs with different additional materials concerning to participatory approaches and ethnic minority issues, including EM traditional customs of land ownership, landuse and traditional shifting cultivation among community; different EM concerns villagers pay attention to land allocation, food security, shortage of labour force, lack in technique skills of forestry plantation, gender inequality were given in all training courses and training workshops; participation of EM villagers was mainstreamed in training courses in commune and village levels (See in detailed in the Training Course Reports and the Appendices, 5.2. Traing Workshops and Training Courses conducted). 

2.3.2. Conduct field trips to PPMUs, DIUs, CWGs and villagers

The fieldwork and the plans revision have highlighted some further necessary items as the following: i) there is a need for the FSDP to improve its participatory approach and formulate a project wide participatory strategy that coordinates under a single vision all project participatory issues and specialists; ii)  the FSDP needs to improve EM plan targeting, activity definition and activity rationale; iii) the FSDP needs to support stakeholders in improving their understanding of basic business principles as well as their grasp of basic forestry principles; iv) and the FSDP should provide avenues to resolve land allocation disputes and address delays in stakeholders land allocation. [See in detail: Ethnic Minority and Social Impact Specialists Mission Report, April 2008: Assessement of Ethnic Minority Development Plans formulated by FSDP PPMUS, DIUs, and CWGs in Thua Thien Hue, Quang Nam, Quang Ngai and Binh Dinh. Volume I: Main Findings and Recommendations. April, 2008].

Since 2007 to 2010, the National Ethnic Minority Specialist have conducted 52 field trips, among those 7 field trips to Thua Thien Hue; 19 field trips to Quang Nam; 9 field trips to Quang Ngai; 8 field trips to Binh Dinh; and 9 field trips to other provinces (such as Da Nang, Dak Lak, Lang Son, Bac Giang, Quang Ninh, Lam Dong) for   support of the PPMUs, DIUs, and CWGs with EMDPs to implementation of the FSDP Ethnic Minority Development Strategy and the EMDPs. (See in detailed in the Appendices, 5.1. All Field Trips conducted).

The objectives of the field trips are: i) meeting and consultations with PPMUs’, DIUs’, CWGs’ staffs and EMDP villagers about the challenges they face and the results they obtain from the implementation of the EMDPs; ii) assessement of the EMDPs implementation in the EMDPs villages and communes; iii) provide the PPMUs’, DIUs’, CWGs’ staffs and EMDP villagers with relevant training courses on how to implement the EMDPs in compliance with participatory approaches, improved EMDP formulation; iv) support stakeholders in upgrading their awareness on ethnic minority development issues. (See in detailed in the Appendices, 5.1. All Field Trips conducted).

2.3.3. Conduct training courses and workshops on ethnic minority development.

Between 2007 and 2010, fourteen (14) training courses and training workshops on ethnic minority development and social issues were held by CPCU and PPMUs. All the training materials and presentations for these training courses and training workshops were prepared and provided by the National Ethnic Minority Specialist in closely collaboration with Mr. F. Potess (Chief Technical Assistance/Team Leader), Mr. R. Giambelli (International Ethnic Minority Specialist), Mr. Vo Van Thoan (Community Specialist of Binh Dinh), Mr. Vu Van Manh (Community Specialist of Quang Ngai), Mr. Phan Van Quy (Community Specialist of Quang Nam), and Mr. Pham Thanh (Community Specialist of Thua Thien Hue), Mr. Do Xuan Lan (National M&E Specialist), Mr. C. Taylor (International Land Management Specialist), Mr. Damasio (TA2 Team Leader) and Mr. Le Toan (GIS specialist, TA2). All these outputs that were produced by the National Ethnic Minority Specialist were provided the participants with as the follows:

FSDP Workshop (Da Nang January, 2008); ii) Training Workshop for Assessement of 17 old EMDPs (Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, June, 2008); iii) Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Quang Ngai (October, 14^th-16^th, 2008); iv) Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Quang Nam (October, 29^th-31^st, 2008); vi) Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Binh Dinh (November, 10^th-12^th, 2008); vii) Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Thua Thien Hue (November, 26^th-28^th, 2008); viii) Training Course for Monitoring &Evaluation of EMDPs Implementation (Da Nang August, 11^th- 15^th, 2009); ix) Workshop for Assessment of EMDPs Implementation until October, 30^th, 2009 (Hue City, December, 21^st -24^th, 2009). (See in detailed in the Training Course Reports and the Appendices, 5.2. Traing Workshops and Training Courses conducted). 

The outputs and results of the field trips are as the follows: Among 14 training courses and training workshops held, there were 4 training workshops on assessment of EMDPs implementation and guideline for new EMDPs in each project province; 2 training workshops on common assessment of EMDPs implementation for all together 4 project provinces; 2 training workshops on selection of the indicators for EMDPs’ case studies in 2010. Total beneficiaries from the training course and training workshops are 703 participants, of those are 213 women (30.29%), and 469 ethnic minorities (66.71%). (See in detailed in the Training Course Reports and the Appendices, 5.2. Traing Workshops and Training Courses conducted).

2.3.4. Under the guidance of and collaboration with the CTA/TL, the National Ethnic Minority Specialist supported in identifying facilitators among NGOs and training institutions already active in the districts of the EMDP communes for implementing of  the EMDPs. For this aim, Terms of Reference for Ethnic Minority Development DIU Staff (EMDDS) were set up with the following objective: i) To assist relevant PPMUs, and CWGs in the preparation (as needed) and implementation of EMDPs and Development Activities in the corresponding communes; ii) To liaise and collaborate with the Ethnic Minority/ Social Development specialist and relevant provincial agencies to strengthen and deliver FSDP’s participatory objectives and gender equality measures, with emphasis on activities in ethnic minority villages; iii) To assist in monitoring social impacts on ethnic minority households, gender issues, and of any acquisition of land or assets that may occur, during project implementation; iv) The help and monitor the compliance, implementation of FSDP gender guidelines, to be provided in a separate document. (For the full Draft TORs, see in detailed in the Appendice, 5.3. Terms of Reference for Ethnic Minority Development DIU Staff).

2.3.5. The National Ethnic Minority Specialist identified, produced and provided different training materials in Vietnamese appropriate to the needs and communication skills of ethnic people and relevant social issues in the four project provinces through the workshops and training workshops. The materials are listed as the following: i) The participatory approach to a commune development planning and a village development planning (Training workshop for Assessement of 17 old EMDPs, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, June, 2008); ii) Project Communication Approaches to the Ethnic Minorities (Training workshop for Assessement of 17 old EMDPs, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, June, 2008); iii) How to an ethnic minority community meeting for selection of EMDP activities? (Training workshop for Assessement of 17 old EMDPs, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, June, 2008); iv) Stakeholders Analysis in planning an EMDP (Training workshop for Assessement of 17 old EMDPs, Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, June, 2008); v) Pilot Analysis of the Ba To Commune EMDP (Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Quang Ngai, October, 14^th-16^th, 2008); vi) SWOT Analysis for designing of an EMDP (Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Quang Ngai, October, 14^th-16^th, 2008); vii) Cost – Benefit Analysis for designing of an EMDP (Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Quang Nam, October, 29^th-31^st, 2008); viii) Pilot Analysis of the Tra Giang Commune EMDP (Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Quang Nam, October, 29^th-31^st, 2008); ix) Pilot Analysis of the Vinh An Commune EMDP (Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Binh Dinh, (November, 10^th-12^th, 2008); x) Pilot Analysis of the Thuong Quang Commune EMDP (Training Course for Support to Ethnic Minority Development in Thua Thien Hue, November, 26^th-28^th, 2008); xi) Selection of indicators for assessment of EMDPs Implementation (Training Workshop for Monitoring &Evaluation of EMDPs Implementation (Da Nang August, 11^th- 15^th, 2009); xii) Participation approach to Landscape Planning from Three communes of Tien Hiep – Tien My – Tien Phong, Tien Phuoc District, Quang Nam Province. (Training Workshop for Communal Level Landscape Planning, Tam Ky City, 8th-9th, December, 2009); xiii) Instruction for using local knowledge in Landscape Planning from Three communes of Tien Hiep – Tien My – Tien Phong, Tien Phuoc District, Quang Nam Province. (Training Workshop for Communal Level Landscape Planning, Tam Ky City, 8th-9th, December, 2009); xiv) Assessment of EMDPs Implementation Results of the four project provinces until October, 31^st, 2009. (Workshop for Assessment of EMDPs Implementation until October, 30^th, 2009, Hue City, December, 21^st -24^th, 2009); xv) Toolkits and guidelines for Assessment of EMDPs Implementation, among those two toolkits were prepared and trained under collaboration with Mr. Vo Van Thoan, Community Specialist of Binh Dinh (1. Basic PRAs, and 2. SWOT Analyses). (Workshop for Assessment of EMDPs Implementation until October, 30^th, 2009, Hue City, December, 21^st -24^th, 2009).

And the outcome gained is that 703 turns of trainees was provided with the skills, knowledge, and materials appropriate to the needs and communication skills of ethnic people and relevant social issues in the four project provinces through the workshops and training workshops. (See in detailed in the Training Course Reports and the Appendices, 5.2. Traing Workshops and Training Courses conducted).

2.3.6. Under collaboration with the PPMUs, DIUs, CWGs and villagers, the National Ethnic Minority Specialist conducted a series of field trips for assessing on an ongoing basis the extent to which acquisition of land and assets was required and ensured that any land or asset acquisition was undertaken in compliance with the provisions of the resettlement policy framework. Within the field trips to Ba To District, Quang Ngai province between the February 17^th – 22^sd, 2008, it was found that there existed land disputes concerning to 3.5 hectare of land between some households of Ba Dinh and Ba To communes; the disputes found between communes of Ba To – Ba Tieu, Ba To – Ba Dinh, and Ba To – Ba Nam; land dispute of over 100 hectare between the Lang Ma villagers with Song Re Forestry Company that makes the progress of land allocation for plantation more delayed. All these disputes of land were concerned to the traditional way of fallow plots of the H’re inhabitants in this commune.

At the time, the Lang Ma villagers were hesitated in participation in the project of forestry plantation as long as the land dispute with Song Re Forestry Company is not yet to be resolved the same situation was found in Tra Bui (three hamlets of Thon Nien, Thon Go, and Thon Tay) and Tra Tan commune (two hamlets of Truong Bien and Tra Ngon) that made the progress of land allocation for plantation more delayed; the villagers of Tra Bui commune had to go overfar for their forestry plantation (between 10 and 20km) in their old villages. In the same field trips to Tra Bong District, Quang Ngai province between the February 17^th – 22^sd, 2008, it was also found that due to the lacking of investments of the EM inhabitants, in 2006 the Kinh dealers from Quang Ngai city and the other localities came and invested in the EM inhabitants’ forest plantation plots to share the benefit with the EM in the percentage of 70% belonging to the invester, the 30% left belonging to the EM inhabitants. There exists a problem on land allocation and red books issuing for the EM villagers that concerns to the area of about 50 hectare classified as the 1C forest (bare land), in fact this area is still productive to grow reforestation, and the villagers are waiting for reclassification of this area.

In the field trips to ethnic minority communes of Vinh An, Canh Hoa, Canh Thuan, Canh Hiep (Van Canh district, Binh Dinh) on the 26^th – 30^th May, 2008, there were still land disputes found between village and village, between the local authority and Cham Hroi ethnic groups in Canh Hoa, Canh Hiep, Canh Thuan communes concerning the so-called “Cà Thâng” (ancestors’ land). Those disputes remarkably prevented the progress of land allocation and project implementation among the villages.

It was recognized that after land ownership findings found, and some recommendations being raised by the National Ethnic Minority Specialist and Provincial Participation Specialists (Mr. Thoan from Binh Dinh PPMU, and Mr. Manh from Quang Ngai PPMU), the PPMUs of Binh Dinh and Quang Ngai made different efforts to solve the disputes concerning to the ethnic minority traditional ownership of land.  Until the end of 2009, all the problems concerning to traditional ownership of land were basically solved, and the issue of land ownership no more prevented the progress of the FSDP implementation. 

2.3.7. The National Ethnic Minority Specialist also worked for assisting in the preparation of a report regarding lessons learned in ethnic minority communities, and the relevance and potential of plantation forestry for reduction of poverty in these communities. Relevant good lessons concerning to ethnic minority communities’ poverty reduction learnt from different localities were provided the EMDP villagers in the four project provinces. Among the best examples were the lessons learnt from the field trips to ethnic minority villages for plantation models and agro-frorestry volunteer co-operatives in Lang Son, Bac Giang, and Quang Ninh between 15th –18^th Sept./2008. Plantation model of indigenous trees developed by the ethnic group of Cao Lan in Queo village, Phu Nhuan commune, Luc Ngan District, Bac Giang province was good example for those who belong to ethnic groups from the four FSDP provinces to follow for growing alternatively the indigenous trees in thei localities. The pattern of forest self-management organized by the ethnic villagers (the Hoa, Tay, and Nung) from Van Phu village, Tan Hoa commune was an effective one to that ethnic villagers of the four FSDP provinces could refer as the good experiences for their forest management.

Ethnic groups from the four FSDP provinces could also learn how to establish and successfully run a volunteer agro-forestry co-operative from the initial precious experiences given by the Binh Minh Co-operative set up by the ethnic groups of Hoa, Tay, Cao Lan, and Nung  in Dong Coc commune, Luc Ngan district, Bac Giang province. The audacious ideas on community-based eco-tourist development raised by the Dao people from Cai Mat village, Tien Lang district, Quang Ninh province due to their rich reforestation products were able to provide ethnic villagers from the four FSDP Provinces with new ideas for their livelihood improvement basing on their plantations in the coming future. For this objectives, different study tours to some models and patterns like the above for ethnic villagers from the four FSDP provinces were conducted by the CPCU, PPMUs, and the ethnic groups could greatly learn each others in their livelihood improvement.

3. Assessment and Evaluation

 

3.1. Assessment and Evaluation of EMDPs’ Implementation Outcomes and Impacts:

Since the 18^th to 31^st, October, 2009, the National Ethnic Minority Specialist had supported to Binh Dinh, Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, and Thua Thien Hue in assessment of all EMDPs’ activities and their impacts on the ethnic minorities’ implementation of the FSDP in particular and their life in general.

A set of  18 core indicators for assessment of of all EMDPs’ activities was built, provided and trained the PPMUs, EMDP DIUs and EMDP CWGs includes: 1) General performance Indicator; 2) Level of EMDP implementation; 3) Disbursement Level; 4) How the budget has met to the implementation of planned activities; 5)  Number of beneficiaries; 6) Number of EM people involved in the project accesible to the loans; 7) Gender indicators; 8) The poor people indicators; 9) Indicators regarding to children labor; 10) Indicator on risk of conflict; 11) Indicator of participation; 12) Indicator of activities results; 13) Indicator on safegards and sustainability; 17) Lessons Learnt; 18) Five among all the most successful EMDP activities of the FSDP. This set of indicators will be mainly used for assessment of the EMDP case studies. (See in detailed in the Appendices, 5.5. Set of indicators for assessment of EMDPs in the case studies). 

Most of the set of indicators were applied for the assessments and evaluation of the implementation of EMDPs in the four project provinces, and the outcomes were obtained as the follows:

i) During the implementation of EMDPs, all the PPMUs, DIUs and CWGs complied strictly proposed EMDPs;

ii) All activities of EMDPs have been not implemented. Some activities were necessary for being reviewed due to they might be not suitable to be continued, for example the activity No. 6 of illiteracy training that was proposed for the EMDP of Canh Hoa commune (Van Canh, Binh Dinh). It was found that this activity requires a long time to be done, and it belongs to the area of District Department of Education and Training. Falling into the same situation is the activity No. 2 of eliminate illiteracy for women proposed for the EMDP of Vinh An commune (Tay Son, Binh Dinh), and the activity No.7 of literacy classes for the EMDP of Tra Kot commune (Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam). It was explained that the activity was canceled due to that the Provincial Department of Education and Training has the literacy popularization program conducted;

iii) Several activities among the ones that were planned have not been implemented in time. The most cases of delay fall in the Binh Dinh EMDPs. Until 31^st, October, 2009, only 8 per total 23 activities (occupied 34.78%) for all four EMDPs of Binh Dinh were implemented. The reason set out by the PPMU for explaining is that the DIU’s delay in  arrangement of the training due to being so busy in different kinds of more urgent jobs;

iv) The being-met level of budget: While being asked for explaining of the delay in implementation of EMDPs’ activities in Van Canh, the DIU staff of Van Canh gave reason for that the fund for EMDPs Implementation is provided with delay and in shortage and by turns of each commune after disbursement so that cause the difficulties for implementation and catching the time up to implement seasonally the EMDPs’ activities. It was also supposed by the DIU staffs of Van Canh District that the provincial-approved level of 30,000VND/person/day for study tour accommodations in the present situation of inflation is in no way to be implemented, meanwhile the daily wage in average in the district is 50,000 VND. (See detailed in the May 2008, Monthly Report and the Quarterly I, 2008 Report written by the EM-SIS);

v) Number of beneficiaries:

Table 3: Total beneficiaries from the four FSDP provinces

Provinces	Total				Kinh people		Ethnic Minority People				Total
	Male		Female				Heads and Elders		Villagers
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Binh Dinh	794	66.49	400	33.50	81	6.78	14	1.17	1099	92.04	1194	21.44
Quang Nam	261	55.17	212	44.82	108	22.83	106	22.41	259	54.75	473	8.49
Quang Ngai	1130	50.22	1120	49.77	402	17.86	202	8.97	1606	71.37	2250	40.40
Th.Thien Hue	519	31.41	1133	68.58	0	0	79	4.78	1573	95.21	1652	29.66
	2704	48.55	2865	51.44	591	10.61	401	7.20	4537	81.46	5569	100
	5569 (100%)

Total number of people who benefit from the EMDP activities is 5569 persons, among those is 4978 ethnic minority people (occupied 89.38%) of 1175 households. The beneficiaries who come from the Kinh people were 591 (occupied 10.61%). These figures show that  EMDP activities give benefits mainly to ethnic minority people (Table 3).  

vi) Gender indicators: The figures of 2865 female beneficiaries (51.44%) from Table 3 also show the higher percentage of women compared to men. The most important problem, however, is the way the EMDP activities gave priorities to the women who participate in the project. Among total 93 activities initially planned for 17 EMDPs from four FSDP provinces, 29 activities (31.18%) were set up for women only, and 64 activities left (68.81%) were not only for men, but for both men and women. The figures prove that the capacity of benefiting women from the EMDP activities is much higher compared to men (Table 4). 

    Table 4: EMDP activities planned for women only

Provinces	EMDP activities planned				Total
	For women only		For both
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Binh Dinh	9	39.13	14	60.86	23	100
Quang Nam	7	29.16	17	70.83	24	100
Quang Ngai	8	40.00	12	60.00	20	100
Th.Thien Hue	7	26.92	19	73.07	26	100
	29	31.18	64	68.81	93	100
	93               100%)

vii) EMDP and EMD activities assisted in upgrading of villagers’ awareness to solve some dangerous risks regarding land use, and different potential conflicts that were found between ethnic minority communities themselves and between ethnic minorities with forest enterprises, forest companies in Ba Dinh, Ba To communes (Ba To district, Quang Ngai); in Tra Bui and Tra Tan communes (Tra Bong district, Quang Ngai); in Vinh An commune (Tay Son district, Binh Dinh). EMDP and EMD activities also support ethnic minority villagers in preventing the serious situation of  the Kinh dealers from Quang Ngai city, who invested in the EM inhabitants’ forest plantation plots, and asked for unfairly sharing benefits with the EM in the percentage of 70% belonging to the invester, the 30% left belonging to the EM inhabitants, ect.,...

viii) Indicator of ethnic minority participation: In the October 2009 field trips, the National Ethnic Minority Specialist conducted participation assessments of  the EMDP activities implementation on how the beneficiaries evaluate the outcomes of implemented EMDP activities in four provinces. Participation approach of the paired comparison and  ranking of EMDP activities impacts in four scales of low, average, high and very high  was applied. The outcomes are the follows: among 8 implemented EMDP activities of Binh Dinh, no scale of low and average was ranked, 4 were ranked in the high scale, and 4 were ranked in very high scale. The outcomes of Quang Ngai, Quang Nam, and Thua Thien Hue are shown clearly in Table 5, and most 36 EMDP activities (occupied 52.94%) were in high scale; the second one was fallen in very high scale; the third one was in average scale (Table 5).      

Table 5. Beneficiaries evaluate the implementation of EMD activities

Provinces	Low		Average		High		Very High		Total
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Binh Dinh	0	0	0	0	4	50.00	4	50.00	8	100
Quang Ngai	0	0	4	17.39	11	47.82	8	34.78	23	100
Quang Nam	0	0	0	0	4	30.76	9	69.23	13	100
Thua Thien Hue	0	0	6	25.00	17	70.83	1	4.16	24	100
Total	0	0	10	14.70	36	52.94	22	3.35	68	100
	68 (100%)

ix) Indicator on impact of the EMDP activities on the FSDP project: The question raised for the villagers was if the EMDP activities created positive impacts on the FSDP project. The results of ranking of the impacts obtained from the villagers are as the following: in Binh Dinh, the ranking of low impact is 0%; average impact is 12.50%; high impact is 50%; and very high is 37.50%. The results from other provinces are shown in Table 5, and the total impacts are as the follows: the low impact is 0%; average impact is 11.76%; high impact is 57.35%; and very high is 30.88%. (Table 5).

Table 5. Beneficiaries evaluate the sustainability of EMDP activities

Provinces	Low		Average		High		Very High		Total
	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%	No.	%
Binh Dinh	0	0	1	12.50	4	50.00	3	37.50	8	100
Quang Ngai	0	0	2	8.69	15	65.21	6	26.08	23	100
Quang Nam	0	0	3	23.07	3	23.07	7	53.84	13	100
Thua Thien Hue	0	0	2	8.33	17	70.83	5	20.83	24	100
Total	0	0	8	11.76	39	57.35	21	30.88	68	100
	68 (100%)

It was found from the assessments of four provinces that the implementation of the EMDPs’ activities have exercised the positive impacts on enhancing technologial capacity of farming for the villagers and support in their livelihood improvement (assessed by villagers); on upgrading of  community management, planning  capacity in village and commune levels   for the villagers and commune staffs (assessed by PPMU); on increasing of women’s management capacity in how to develop households’ economy; on enhancing gender equality and women’s voice in the family and community; on creating opportunities for women in their increasing extra income; providing women with further jobs; enhancing gender equality in the family and community; on strengthening capacvity of forest extension and SALT technique for the trainees in creating imcome and sustainable reforestation.

 

3.2. Lessons learnt from the implementation of the EMDPs’ activities

3.2.1. Lessons learnt from selection of unsuitable activities: some EMDP selected and planned for 17 old EMDPs prove that the procedure of selection was not very well examined. Of the selected activities, several are unsuitable ones due to that they belong to professional areas of governmental department, for example the activity of illiteracy elimination. Being fallen in this situation were the activity 6 of Canh Hoa EMDP (Van Canh, Binh Dinh), activity 2 of Vinh An commune EMDP (Tay Son, Binh Dinh), activity 7 of Tra Kot commune EMDP (Bac Tra My, Quang Nam), and activity 7 of Tra Nu commune EMDP (Bac Tra My, Quang Nam).  All these activities then were canceled due to the literacy popularization program of the Provincial Department of Education and Training is responsible for conducting this mission. 

3.2.2. Lessons learnt from selection of ineffective, or not-high effective  activities: During implementation, some selected activities proved that they were of ineffective, or not-high effective activities, the typical were activities regarding services for market such as restoring of traditional brocade weaving (Canh Hiep, Van Canh, Binh Ding), making palm-leaf hat for women (Thuong Long and Thuong Quang communes, Nam Dong District), even the activity of making cinamommun incenses (Tra Tan and Tra Bui communes, Tra Bong district, Quang Ngai), that were ranked in very high scale of evaluation by the villagers. For this case, ethnic minority villagers  encountered the problem of nowhere they could reach to distribute their products. Before participation in the activity, villagers were provided with a verbal promise from the Tra Xuan town Women Union of help for marketing their incenses. But after producing incenses, no body from the Union could help as promised.  

3.2.3. Lessons learnt from the role of PPMU and DIUs for the delay in implementation of EMDP activities: in field trip note by field trip note of Binh Dinh, the National Ethnic Minority Specialist gave notice of delay in implementation of EMDP activities, and even until the end of the mission, the situation was not much improved. Different kinds of reasons were raised for explaining of the delay, such as the fund for EMDPs Implementation is provided with delay and in shortage and by turns of each commune after disbursement so that cause the difficulties for implementation and catching the time up to implement seasonally EMDP activities; or the provincial-approved level of 30,000VND per person per day for study tour accommodations in the present situation of inflation is in no way to be implemented (See detailed in the May 2008, Monthly Report and the Quarterly I, 2008 Report). In our opinion, the most important reason is the role of PPMU and DIU in pushing the implementation of EMDP activities up. Regarding this,  the very sucessful lesson could be learnt from the PPMU and DIUs of Ba To and Tra Bong of Quang Ngai, whose EMDP activities were in time implemented in a percentage of 100% in the same conditions compared to Binh Dinh.

3.2.4. Lessons learnt from the role of PPMU EMDP staff and DIU staff in charge of EMDP implementation: one among the important reasons that should be raised for explaining of the delay in implementation of EMDP activities is the role of PPMU EMDP staff and DIU staff. For the case of Quang Ngai, PPMU were very keen in taking advantage of PPMU EMDP staff, DIU staff, and especially the Participation Specialist for support to implementation of  EMDP activities. It seemed not to be like that for the Binh Dinh PPMU, whose PPMU EMDP staff were three times changed within three years, and the DIU staff in charge of EMDP, to whom no body pushed in paying  attention to EMDP activities implementation was so busy in different works. 

3.2.5. Lessons learnt from the institutional strengthenning of ethnic minority development support by way of recruitment of DIU Ethnic Minority Development Person. The Terms of Reference for Ethnic Minority Development DIU Staff done by the TA1 consultants under the guidance and reviewing by the CTA/TL, Mr. Potess was clearly aware of this requirement and asked for recruiting staff to be placed on duty in the corresponding eight Districts comprising these 28 communes (Thua Thien Hue 3 Districts, 6 old communes; Quang Nam 2 Districts, 3 new and 3 old communes Quang Ngai 2 Districts, 4 old and 6 new communes. (Appendice 4.3. Terms of Reference for Ethnic Minority Development DIU Staff). It is regret that until the end of the National Ethnic Minority Specialist’s mission, the requirement of  recruiting EMDP DIU staff has not yet being met.

3.2.6. Lessons learnt from the way of participation of ethnic minoroty people: for ethnic minorities, participation is to be done by specific arrangements and activities. One among some very important lessons on participation the project could learn from the case of Kor people at Truong Xuan village, Tra Tan commune. At the beginning of implementation, only several villagers consented to participate in the EMDP activities. The only reason villagers gave to quit participation was the village head was expanding his family’s service economy by way of making a system of three fishponds, and he would also get all the benefits from EMDP activities. The village head was very keen with the attitude that roots in depth of community egalitarianism and he mobilized everyone that wanted to have benefits from service economy to share fishpond investment with him. He was also happy to help anybody that intended to make individual fishpond like him. Then, villagers all trusted in him and actively participated in the project activities.

3.2.7. Lessons learnt from the upgraded role of women in family and society: in traditional societies of most ethnic minorities in the FSDP areas, role of women is low in both family and society. Those ethnic societies naturally considered all heavy load works in family have to be carried by women. Women have no rights, especially right of decision making and right of voice, meanwhile men have all rights including bad right of being drunken. The EMDP activities of FSDP, especially the one that were privately selected for women (38.18%) have made remarkable sence to involve them in participation (among total 51.44% of female participated, only 5.72 % of the Kinh and the remains, 45.72% of female ethnic minorities), and made them have their role upgraded in both family and society. For these ethnic minority communities, after three years participated in EMDP activities, right of decision making and right of voice of women were much improved. “Participation of wives and daughters also make husbands and fathers to feel shame at being drunken and some decided to quit of drinking” (spoken by Mrs. Ho Truong Sinh, Kor ethnic, Village III, Truong Giang commune, Bac Tra My district, Quang Nam).   

3.2.8. Lessons learnt from the ethnic minorities’ unsustainable development due to lack of market capacity and lack of diversification of products: the event of the Kinh dealers invested in the ethnic minority inhabitants’ forest plantation plots, and asked for unfairly sharing benefits with the villagers of Tra Tan, and Tra Bui communes (Tra Bong, Quang Ngai) proved the ethnic rick of market capacity. And the event of the ethnic forest plantations were ruined by the typhoons No. 9 and No. 11 in 2009, and villagers forced to sell their forest plantation products in so low prices, that made some ethnic minority households to fall in bankrupt proved and their risk of market capacity lack, and their risk of lack of diversification of products. “Villagers could not develop, even could not maintain business with their forest plantations in sustainability under lack in market capacity and in diversification of products with indigenous trees”. (spoken by Chairman of Communal People Committee of Tra Tan, Tra Bong district).

4. Recommendations:

4.1. Recruitment of DIU EMDP staff for New EMDPs: Due to the importance of EMDP activities impacts on ethnic minority development, the CPCU should recruit DIU EMDP staff for the DIUs of Ba To, Tra Bong (Quang Ngai), and Hiep Duc (Quang Nam), whose new EMDPs will be implemented in 2010.   

4.2. Facilitation of New EMDPs Implementation: Pursuant to the seccessful lessons learnt from the role of PPMU and DIUs of Quang Ngai in implementation of EMDP activities, CPCU should facilitate the PPMUs and DIUs whose new EMDPs will be implemented in 2010 in paying more attention on pushing up of implementation of EMDP activities.

4.3. Implement EMDPs Case Studies: Every project province has selected an EMDP as a case study: Binh Dinh selected Canh Thuan and Canh Hiep; Quang Ngai: Tra Tan (Old EMDP) and Ba Vinh (New EMDP); Quang Nam: Tra Giang (Old EMDP) and Song Tra (New EMDP); and Thua Thien Hue: Xuan Loc and Thuong Nhat. All the case studies EMDP activities should be paid more attention on implementation.

4.4. Assessment and Evaluation of EMDPs Case Studies: It is recognized that assessments and evaluations of the EMDPs Case Studies pay remarkable role in drawing of good lessons regarding all experiences ethnic villagers learnt, and helped in improvement of their life and participation. That is why CPCU should select an Independent Monitoring Organization for assessing evaluating of EMDP case studies from four project provinces.

4.5. Holding a conference on EMDPs’ impacts: A conference on ethnic minority development in national level of forest sector should be held to formulate procedures of support in ethnic minority development, especially the procedures of designing, implementing and assessing of an EMDP for a forest project according to the EMDP template the FSDP applied for 9 new EMDPs of Quang Nam and Quang Ngai.

________________________________________

Còn tiếp…..

* Ghi chú: Final Report (Báo cáo cuối cùng cho World Bank) được đăng để kỷ niệm 30 năm làm cho các Dự án của World Bank (bắt đầu từ 1990 với việc chuẩn bị tài liệu để UNESSCO công nhận di sản Thiên nhiên Thế giới Hạ Long, tiếp theo là xây dựng Bảo tàng Sinh thái Hạ Long); và 20 năm làm cho các Dự án của Bộ NN&PTNT (bắt đầu từ 2000 với DA Đa dạng hóa Nông nghiệp – Phát triển Cao su Tiểu điền 11 tỉnh Miền Trung  và Tây Nguyên) với tư cách là Chuyên gia Phát triển Xã hội và Dân tộc Thiểu số.