Eco-Tourism Has Spinoff for Ethnic Villagers

Tourism will ensure stable incomes for residents in buffer zones around national parks and will ensure better protection of the parks and the wildlife they shelter. Pham Hoang Nam reports.Tham Thi Men was everywhere at the same time. The 48-year-old ethnic Tay woman was on stage singing a traditional song; she was being an attractive hostess inviting guests to enjoy Tay cakes that she and her neighbours had made, and she was in the kitchen preparing lunch for visitors at the communal Long House. The Long House is located near the new ethnic Stieng resettlement area in Ta Lai Commune, Tan Phu District, in the southern province of Dong Nai. The 125sq.m house was built in five months with bamboo, wood, rattan and other natural materials. It opened to visitors in the middle of February. The house is the first community-based tourism guesthouse in the area. It was built under a project, funded by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), that promotes community-based ecotourism in Viet Nam's national parks. The project has been carried out by the WWF in collaboration with the Nam Cat Tien National Park since 2008. It directly benefits the livelihoods of local communities while conserving nature, WWF Viet Nam director Tran Minh Hien said. "Ecotourism planning in and around the park is carried out through a participatory multi-stakeholder process and is incorporated into development plans at commune, district and provincial levels," she explained. According to the chairman of Ta Lai Commune, Dang Vu Hiep, the house offers not only cultural meaning but also economic value to ethnic groups living in the region. "Community-based tourism will create stable livelihoods for local people by helping reduce pressure on natural resources, raising people's awareness of environmental protection and promoting cultural characters of ethnic communities," he said. The house is all set to receive visitors now. To introduce the Long House to travel agencies including adventure tour operators, project managers organized a trip few weeks ago to the national park. Everything had been carefully prepared. Special dishes typically eaten by local ethnic minorities of Stieng, Ma and Tay had been prepared. People in the communities had been employed as chefs, guides and hospitality service providers. The community-based tourism model applied here had the participation of around 30 households. "I have liked to sing and dance since I was a little girl. Now I can join the team to perform for visitors, that's my dream. I can earn a living from what I like to do best," 17-year-old K'Nhung said happily. Would visitors come to stay in the Long House, the few people wondered. "There are a few Vietnamese tourists who like adventure and eco-tourism. But the potential to attract foreign customers is very huge," said Jean-Luc Voisin, director of the VietAdventure company. The company is major partner with the park in the project. "I believe the model will develop better in the near future. Tourists will enjoy a night in the forest, taste special food and traditional art performances by local residents," he added. From Ta Lai Commune, 12km from the head-office of Nam Cat Tien Park's management board, tourists can trek or go cycling through the forest. "If permitted, we would like to reopen the 60km cycling route through the park and Ta Lai will be our stopping place," said Le Van Sinh, CEO of SinhBalo Adventure Travel company. Project managers hope that around 4,500 visitors would visit Ta Lai each year. They are also offering another buffer zone of the park, Dak Lua, as a tourism destination. "We have already looked at Dak Lua, where has a very big rice field. We have chosen to develop the home-stay model there and three houses were selected. But Dak Lua is not as attractive as Ta Lai with its many traditional customs," said Nguyen Thi Hai Ha, managing director of Innoviet company. "We know it is very hard, but it's a starting point to help villagers get involved in community tourism and improve their living standards while sharing the responsibility to protect the park," said K' Yeu, head of Ta Lai Village. (Vietnam News May 15)

Vietnam agencies asked to reconsider hydropower plans

Vietnamese non-governmental organizations and experts have urged the country to reconsider its plans to develop more hydropower projects they claim will destroy lives and harm the environment.

In its latest statement, the Vietnam Rivers Network – a forum of Vietnamese NGOs and experts working to protect local rivers -- warned that: “To develop hydropower, even if in a ‘stable’ way, is to exchange environmental and social development for economic development,” VnExpress reported Thursday.

“We should not consider hydropower a clean and cheap source of energy to be developed by all means and anywhere,” it said.

Agencies need to take into account hydropower plants’ effects and make preparations for possible dam collapses to decrease threats to communities affected by dams, VnExpress quoted VRN’s statement as saying.

According to VRN experts, while water power plays an important role in the development of the economy and society, hydropower works on Vietnamese rivers have already badly affected the environment, ecology, people’s livelihoods, water security and food security.

Many hydropower plants have already eaten up whole forests, and have heavily polluted several water sources, Dr. Dao Trong Hung from VRN was quoted as saying.

The people who have to be relocated to make way for the plants have to sacrifice even their local culture, which they lose following evacuations for the sake of investors, VRN said.

Under a plan approved by the government last year, Vietnam will increase its hydropower output from 9,200 MW in 2009 to 17,400 MW in 2020, accounting for over 23 percent of the country’s energy, VnExpress said.

A previous study by the non-governmental and non-profit People and Nature Organization concluded that for every one million watts of energy produced, a hydropower plant destroys 16 hectares of forest, the report said. 

Source: http://www.thanhniennews.com/2010/pages/20120518-vietnam-agencies-asked-to-reconsider-hydropower-plans.aspx

Australian NGO Grants 40 Wheelchairs to Disabled People in North Vietnam

The Australia-based Rotary Club of Mosman (RCM) May 16 donated 40 wheelchairs to help Agent Orange (AO) victims and disable people in Vietnam’s northern province of Nam Dinh. The beneficiaries are disadvantaged people in ten districts of the province. This is an annual activity of RCM, and part of a project named ‘Wheelchairs for people with disabilities’ in Vietnam. The Australian Embassy in Vietnam and RCM have presented a total of 110 wheelchairs to AO victims and handicapped people in the province since 2007. AO victims in Vietnam are estimated to reach 4.8 million people as consequences of the Vietnam War lasting from 1954 to 1975 with the participation of American army. In 1961-1971, the U.S. army sprayed about 80 million liters of defoliants including the highly toxic Agent Orange over 10% of total areas in southern Vietnam. The action has left serious consequences on people, environment and social issues in the country. The country is also home to about 6.7 million people with disabilities including more than one million hearing-impaired ones. (Quan Doi Nhan Dan - People’s Army May 17 p8)

Saudi Arabia Provides $37M ODA for Rural Infrastructure Projects in Vietnam

The Saudi Arabian government has agreed to provide $37 million in official development assistance (ODA) in two infrastructure projects in two Vietnam’s central provinces of Quang Tri and Phu Yen. This was released at a recent meeting between Minister of Finance Vuong Dinh Hue and Saudi Arabia’s Ambassador to Vietnam, Salah Ahmed Sarhan. Accordingly, the Quang Tri road connecting Thach Kim-Hien Hoa-Lam Thuy-Ben Quan communes will receive investment of $22.6 million in official development assistance (ODA). The road linking the communes of Xuan Phuoc-Ky Lo-Phu Hai in Phu Yen province, in turn, will obtain $14.5 million in ODA. Capital for the two projects is drawn from the Saudi Fund for Development, state media reported. Last November, a representative of the Saudi Fund and the Ministry of Finance signed two agreements, in which the fund provided $14.5 million and $11 million loans to the northern mountainous province of Bac Kan’s general hospital and healthcare centre and the southern province of Ninh Thuan’s vocational training centre respectively. Starting operations in 1975, the Saudi Fund for Development aims to stimulate economic growth in developing nations. It now contributes to the financing of 3,750 projects in 71 countries, consisting of 41 African countries, 25 Asian countries and five countries in other parts of the world. (Vietnam News May 11)

Japan to Grant Vietnam $33M to Develop E-Customs

Japan will grant JPY2.66 billion ($33 million) to help Vietnam build an electronic customs clearance procedure (e-customs) system and implement a one-stop customs system, the General Department of Vietnam Customs said. The move aims to help promote bilateral trade between Vietnam and Japan and create better conditions for foreign investors as well as developing e-customs and implement a one-stop customs system that links Vietnam with other ASEAN countries. The fund will be used to deploy the Vietnam Automated Cargo and Port Consolidated System and Vietnam Customs Information System (VNACCS/VCIS) which is based on Japan’s Nippon Automated Customs Clearance (NACCS). Accordingly, Japan will help Vietnam master the system by training personnel and transferring technology to deploy the VNACCS/VCIS. Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) will send experts to help Vietnam establish long-term strategy on information technology and information technology applications, Chief Representative of JICA Tsuno Motonori said. JICA experts will help set up systems of management system, operation and maintenance as well as upgrading information technology appropriately. These experts will also review the legal framework and make necessary adjustments of system to help strengthen the capacity of Vietnam’s customs officers, Tsuno Motonori said. The project will be build in three years and transfer to Vietnam’s customs in 2014. The General Department of Vietnam Customs earlier started an experimental implementation of electronic customs clearance procedure systems (e-Manifest) for inbound and outbound cargo ships for 2012-2014 period. The trial programs will be piloted at four customs departments in Haiphong, Danang, Ho Chi Minh City and Vung Tau and applied for three shipping lines, comprising Maersk Vietnam, OOCL Vietnam and Mitsui OSK Line. (www.customs.gov.vn Mar 22, www.cpv.org.vn Mar 23)

The World Bank approved on Mar. 22 a total of 522 USD million in credit for the development of Vietnam's urban, energy, and forest sectors. Three projects receiving the funds include the Cuu Long ( Mekong ) Delta Region Urban Upgrading Project; the Second Power Sector Reform Development Policy Operation; and the Forest Sector Development Project - Additional Financing. All three projects support the World Bank's new Country Partnership Strategy (2011-2016) for Vietnam, the bank said in a press release. "The approval of the three operations demonstrates the continued strong partnership between Vietnam and the World Bank,” said Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam. She said these credits help address emerging challenges such as rapid urbanization, the need for an efficient power sector to meet the country’s rapidly growing demand for power to support rapid growth, and the importance of sustainable management of the national forest resources to help move rural communities out of poverty. The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Region Urban Upgrading Project will improve infrastructure and services for more than 1.5 million people in the Cuu Long ( Mekong ) Delta cities of Can Tho, My Tho, Cao Lanh, Ca Mau, Rach Gia, and Tra Vinh. The bank's International Development Association (IDA) will fund this project with $292 million. The Second Power Sector Reform Development Policy Operation is one of three policy operations that support the Government in implementing reforms in the power sector to facilitate and promote effective competition in power generation; transparency and predictability in electricity pricing and tariffs; encourage investment in power generation; and implement programs and incentives for efficient use of electricity. For this operation, the Bank provides $200 million, half of which comes from IDA, and the other half from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The Forest Sector Development Project aims to promote sustainable smallholder plantation forestry to help raise rural incomes and support biodiversity conservation across Vietnam 's priority conservation areas. The project supports the National Forestry Strategy through restoring and increasing forest cover, promoting market-based approaches to forestry, increasing roles and responsibilities of local forest owners, strengthening protected areas management and conserving biodiversity with the involvement of local communities. Under the Additional Financing operation, IDA will provide an additional 30 million USD over three years to the project covering six provinces in the central coastal region of Vietnam. (vietnamplus.vn Mar 24) Printer-friendly version Send to friend

The World Bank approved on Mar. 22 a total of 522 USD million in credit for the development of Vietnam's urban, energy, and forest sectors. Three projects receiving the funds include the Cuu Long ( Mekong ) Delta Region Urban Upgrading Project; the Second Power Sector Reform Development Policy Operation; and the Forest Sector Development Project - Additional Financing. All three projects support the World Bank's new Country Partnership Strategy (2011-2016) for Vietnam, the bank said in a press release.

"The approval of the three operations demonstrates the continued strong partnership between Vietnam and the World Bank,” said Victoria Kwakwa, World Bank Country Director for Vietnam.

She said these credits help address emerging challenges such as rapid urbanization, the need for an efficient power sector to meet the country’s rapidly growing demand for power to support rapid growth, and the importance of sustainable management of the national forest resources to help move rural communities out of poverty.

The Cuu Long (Mekong) Delta Region Urban Upgrading Project will improve infrastructure and services for more than 1.5 million people in the Cuu Long ( Mekong ) Delta cities of Can Tho, My Tho, Cao Lanh, Ca Mau, Rach Gia, and Tra Vinh. The bank's International Development Association (IDA) will fund this project with $292 million. The Second Power Sector Reform Development Policy Operation is one of three policy operations that support the Government in implementing reforms in the power sector to facilitate and promote effective competition in power generation; transparency and predictability in electricity pricing and tariffs; encourage investment in power generation; and implement programs and incentives for efficient use of electricity. For this operation, the Bank provides $200 million, half of which comes from IDA, and the other half from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development. The Forest Sector Development Project aims to promote sustainable smallholder plantation forestry to help raise rural incomes and support biodiversity conservation across Vietnam 's priority conservation areas. The project supports the National Forestry Strategy through restoring and increasing forest cover, promoting market-based approaches to forestry, increasing roles and responsibilities of local forest owners, strengthening protected areas management and conserving biodiversity with the involvement of local communities. Under the Additional Financing operation, IDA will provide an additional 30 million USD over three years to the project covering six provinces in the central coastal region of Vietnam. (vietnamplus.vn)

Examining the Giving Instinct: Philanthropy in Vietnam

The streets of Vietnam’s biggest cities reveal unmistakable signs of wealth. Mercedes and Lexus luxury cars are common, and now and then, you can catch a glimpse of a Bentley or a Maybach gliding along the congested thoroughfares. Vietnamese “new rich” can now access the latest fashion and accessories in designer shops that line the corridors of the country’s expensive hotels.

 

Young couples stroll along Hanoi's Hoan Kiem Lake. In recent years, Vietnam's largest cities are showing greater signs of prosperity. Photo by Karl Grobl.

Conspicuous consumption may be much more visible now in the cities, but a visitor doesn’t have to look too hard or travel too far from the urban areas to see a very different economic reality that exists for most of Vietnam’s 89 million citizens.

Consistent high growth, averaging 7.3 percent this past decade, has brought about a significant drop in Vietnam’s poverty rate, from as high as 75 percent in the mid-1980s to 14.5 percent in 2008. However, these achievements are fragile: the ongoing global economic crisis and the demanding new challenges that a Vietnam in transition now faces – from a weak banking sector and an outdated education system to environmental degradation and a growing rural-urban divide – make it difficult to maintain this pace of growth. Moreover, high inflation and currency devaluation are undermining the poverty reduction effort, pushing many Vietnamese back under the poverty line in just the last few years. And, with Vietnam’s rise to lower-middle-income nation status in 2008, many international and bilateral donors are already announcing their departure to divert funding to lesser-developed regions.

Given the demands on the government’s budget and with decreasing foreign aid expected in the years to come, the long term resources needed to address many of Vietnam’s development challenges will have to also come from domestic sources. Vietnam has a long tradition of philanthropy and community assistance, reflected in such folk sayings as “Whole leaves wrap torn leaves.” But until now, there has not been any systematic research on domestic giving patterns and trends, mechanisms through which people and companies give, or what motivates giving. To help answer these questions, The Asia Foundation recently supported the Vietnam Asia-Pacific Economic Center in Ha Noi to carry out the first-ever assessment of philanthropic giving to identify strengths and weaknesses in current giving practices and inform policy recommendations to strengthen philanthropic giving, both in the business community and among the general public.


When asked, both urban and rural households showed a strong desire in charitable giving, at 51 and 73 percent, respectively. Of the different kinds of charitable giving, people give most to natural disasters, the poor, and religious charities. On average, households give the cash equivalent of roughly $40 a year, which is not an insubstantial sum given per capita income is slightly more than $1,000 a year, and considerably less in many parts of Vietnam, especially in rural areas. We can also see that the potential for increasing contribution is high. Seventy four percent of urban households and 89 percent of rural households said that their current level of contributions was modest, with some 90 percent of households in both urban and rural areas indicating that their contributions have no or only minor impact on the household economy.

Of the charitable contributions made, people by far prefer unofficial giving channels, particularly temples and churches, over official channels such as government agencies, mass organizations like the Fatherland Front, or the work place. In cities, only 37 percent of contributions went through official channels, while in the countryside, this figure drops to 10 percent. When asked why people give, the strongest reason was the desire to share the difficulties of others and the satisfaction received. Following the example set by neighbors is also a significant factor, especially in the countryside. Survey data consistently show that rural residents have stronger interest in giving and participating in charitable activities than their urban counterparts, while some 20 percent of urban residents expressed dissatisfaction with the effectiveness and transparency of charitable activities and the channels of giving currently available to them.

The business portion of the survey also yielded some surprising results, most notably the significant differences in charitable activities between the companies in Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City. At the time the survey was conducted, 66 percent of businesses in Ho Chi Minh City reported they were supporting at least one charitable activity, compared to only eight percent in Ha Noi. The level of giving is also markedly different:  businesses in Ho Chi Minh City gave about eight times more than businesses in Ha Noi. In-depth interviews revealed that these differences reflect the higher dynamism of businesses in Ho Chi Minh City in advertising their brands and awareness of corporate social responsibility, as well as a longer-term vision of linking community development with private sector growth.

An additional reason may contribute to the difference in corporate philanthropy between Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City: only 32 percent of businesses in Ha Noi believed that charitable activities are effective, compared to 56 percent of businesses in Ho Chi Minh City. Businesses in both cities complained about a lack of transparency, openness, and confidence in how donations are used. Nevertheless, the business survey identifies great potential for increased corporate philanthropy. Seventy eight percent of businesses in Ho Chi Minh City and 55 percent in Ha Noi indicated that their contributions were low or moderate. Corporate success and corporate leadership are key determinants of the charitable activities a business undertakes, but preferential policies such as tax exemption play little or no role in business charitable contribution decisions. When asked about tax concessions for charitable giving, most business representatives were unclear about tax policies or doubtful of the benefits they may bring.

Over all, the research shows that corporate social responsibility is still very nascent in Vietnam and much can be done to increase awareness of philanthropy in the business sector. Despite that, the survey findings shed light on Vietnam’s tremendous capacity for giving in both the general population and the corporate sector – much-needed support to meet the development needs of the country. While the desire to give is high, there is also a great desire for more transparent and effective channels for giving, as well as more professional organizations capable of using the donations to truly reach those in need.

Kim N. B. Ninh is The Asia Foundation’s country representative in Vietnam. She can be reached at kninh@asiafound.org. The views and opinions expressed here are those of the individual author and not those of The Asia Foundation.