An Update on SusWatch activities for 2006

By Prof.Dr.Nguyen Dac Hy, EEI-VNGO

Like other countries in the global network, SusWatch Vietnam is now in its second year of implementation. During 2005, the national activities were centered in evaluating the implementation of MDGs 1, 7 and 8; and also in involving the Vietnamese NGO network in poverty reduction and environment protection activities.

Based on the experience gained from the first year, in 2006 SusWatch Vietnam has a strategy to develop advocacy at the community level through local case studies. These case studies are focused on mobilizing civil society and increasing the participation of communities in biodiversity conservation, hunger elimination and poverty reduction at sensitive areas such as buffer zones of national parks and wetlands.

The main case study to be carried out will be the Tien Hai nature reserve ?a wetland, estuary coastal area in Tien Hai province, North of Vietnam. All activities are centered on promoting human resource and mobilizing social associations, such as women, youth and farmer organizations, to participate in all steps of environmental management ?from planning and implementing to monitoring.

This case study also encourages people to join pilot models to link poverty reduction and environment protection, such as ecological shrimp pond models, bee raising models in the mangrove areas and ecological cultivation in buffer zones. In addition, communities receive knowledge through training courses, technical assistance and experience exchange forums, which are combined with wide dissemination through the media.

These achievements in advocacy at the community level proved that the right approach is researching at the grassroots level and involving the community.

Despite a late start, EEI showed its dynamism by maintaining communications among VNGO members and by organizing meetings and experience exchange forums. EEI also developed a partnership with GCAP, an international NGO with large experience in poverty reduction projects.

In the next months, EEI will work closely with CBOs to complete sustainable development models for the conservation of the Tien Hai reserve.

EEI is setting up a similar case study for the Cat Ba national park, recognized by UNESCO in 2004 as a World Biosphere Reserve, in Hai Phong city. This initiative is expected to expand the results achieved by SusWatch as well as becoming essential for fundraising. EEI also hopes this is another opportunity to apply local monitoring tools more comprehensively than in Tien Hai.

To fulfill SusWatch goals more effectively, SusWatch network should share experiences at the national and local levels more actively, including country visits. By doing so, every country can re-evaluate achievements in the implementation of SusWatch as well as making contributions to implement the MDGs at the national and global levels.