Australia funds project to raise economic rights of ethnic minority women

The 3-million AUD project was launched on January 11 by CARE International in Vietnam and the Son La province Department of Agriculture and Rural Development. It will help the target women improve agricultural production and farm produce consumption, thus removing gender preconceptions, which have hindered ethnic minority women from proving their capacity for economic development and raising voice in their family as well as the community. 

The scheme will also be carried out in Muong Ang district of the northern mountainous province of Dien Bien, from 2018-2020.

Le Kim Dung, Director of CARE International in Vietnam, said under the project, her organisation will join hands with local partners to support the establishment of self-governed financial groups in order to promote the exchange of experience in coffee production. 

At the same time, the project will bring insiders of the coffee production chain together in an effort to improve the connectivity between farmers and businesses, thus increasing productivity and attracting more investors in the local coffee sector. 

Lo Minh Hung, Vice Chairman of the Son La province People’s Committee, highlighted the significance of the project as the province has identified Arabica coffee as a key product contributing to reducing poverty and improving living conditions of local farmers. 

However, coffee production in the locality faces a range of challenges caused by natural conditions and the outdated techniques in coffee harvest and processing.