Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam
The formation of farmer groups (FGs) is central to rural development programmes promoted by NGOs and governments. These structures are widely recognised for their positive impacts, such as strengthening value chains, reducing transaction costs, creating economies of scale, and improving access to ag...
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Ponencia |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
2025
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176977 |
| _version_ | 1855525412675780608 |
|---|---|
| author | Orduz, Daniela Bravo, Aura Pazos, Mateo Cuong, Tran The Nguyen, Thi Duong Nga Hung, Pham-Van Nguyen, Thi Thu Huyen Trung, Ninh Xuan Pam, Thi Le Nguyen, Thinh Triana Ángel, Natalia Phuong, Nguyen Thi Minh Burkart, Stefan |
| author_browse | Bravo, Aura Burkart, Stefan Cuong, Tran The Hung, Pham-Van Nguyen, Thi Duong Nga Nguyen, Thi Thu Huyen Nguyen, Thinh Orduz, Daniela Pam, Thi Le Pazos, Mateo Phuong, Nguyen Thi Minh Triana Ángel, Natalia Trung, Ninh Xuan |
| author_facet | Orduz, Daniela Bravo, Aura Pazos, Mateo Cuong, Tran The Nguyen, Thi Duong Nga Hung, Pham-Van Nguyen, Thi Thu Huyen Trung, Ninh Xuan Pam, Thi Le Nguyen, Thinh Triana Ángel, Natalia Phuong, Nguyen Thi Minh Burkart, Stefan |
| author_sort | Orduz, Daniela |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | The formation of farmer groups (FGs) is central to rural development programmes promoted by NGOs and governments. These structures are widely recognised for their positive impacts, such as strengthening value chains, reducing transaction costs, creating economies of scale, and improving access to agricultural technologies. They also foster community trust, cooperation, and social cohesion. Despite these advantages, FGs face persistent challenges including dependence on external support, limited ability to mobilise operative capital, and difficulty sustaining their efforts over time. Northwest highlands Vietnam’s experience offers insights into the contextual conditions that shape the success or failure of collective farming models, especially considering their instrumental relevance in the sustainable transformation of agriculture. We argue for a comprehensive and intersectional approach that gives significant importance to local knowledge and cultural realities in the design of agricultural development interventions, especially when working with ethnic and marginalised minority populations. This study draws on an assessment of nine FGs in Son La Province, Mai Son District, as part of a CGIAR initiative to enhance beef and pork value chains through sustainable innovations for inclusive smallholder market participation. Through a qualitative, multi-stakeholder approach involving 124 interviews with group members, non-members, leaders, and local authorities, we identified constraints and opportunities at community, group, and structural levels. Key findings include the influence of land fragmentation, access to communal goods, and traditional livestock practices on technology adoption and then FGs performance. Cultural differences between Hmong and Thai communities significantly impact group dynamics: Hmong tend toward self-sufficiency and traditional grazing, while Thai groups are more market-oriented and adopt innovations more readily. Strong leadership emerges as a key factor in group success, helping to maintain activity and adapt to dynamic market circumstances. Finally, the ability of groups to define independent flexible, collective goals—beyond purely commercial aims—enhances their agency and resilience. Recognizing and supporting these diverse pathways is essential for designing inclusive and effective agricultural development interventions. |
| format | Ponencia |
| id | CGSpace176977 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1769772025-11-05T11:41:29Z Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam Orduz, Daniela Bravo, Aura Pazos, Mateo Cuong, Tran The Nguyen, Thi Duong Nga Hung, Pham-Van Nguyen, Thi Thu Huyen Trung, Ninh Xuan Pam, Thi Le Nguyen, Thinh Triana Ángel, Natalia Phuong, Nguyen Thi Minh Burkart, Stefan governance local knowledge farmer participation interviews participación de agricultores collective farming conocimiento local entrevista explotación agraria colectiva gobernanza de los pastizales The formation of farmer groups (FGs) is central to rural development programmes promoted by NGOs and governments. These structures are widely recognised for their positive impacts, such as strengthening value chains, reducing transaction costs, creating economies of scale, and improving access to agricultural technologies. They also foster community trust, cooperation, and social cohesion. Despite these advantages, FGs face persistent challenges including dependence on external support, limited ability to mobilise operative capital, and difficulty sustaining their efforts over time. Northwest highlands Vietnam’s experience offers insights into the contextual conditions that shape the success or failure of collective farming models, especially considering their instrumental relevance in the sustainable transformation of agriculture. We argue for a comprehensive and intersectional approach that gives significant importance to local knowledge and cultural realities in the design of agricultural development interventions, especially when working with ethnic and marginalised minority populations. This study draws on an assessment of nine FGs in Son La Province, Mai Son District, as part of a CGIAR initiative to enhance beef and pork value chains through sustainable innovations for inclusive smallholder market participation. Through a qualitative, multi-stakeholder approach involving 124 interviews with group members, non-members, leaders, and local authorities, we identified constraints and opportunities at community, group, and structural levels. Key findings include the influence of land fragmentation, access to communal goods, and traditional livestock practices on technology adoption and then FGs performance. Cultural differences between Hmong and Thai communities significantly impact group dynamics: Hmong tend toward self-sufficiency and traditional grazing, while Thai groups are more market-oriented and adopt innovations more readily. Strong leadership emerges as a key factor in group success, helping to maintain activity and adapt to dynamic market circumstances. Finally, the ability of groups to define independent flexible, collective goals—beyond purely commercial aims—enhances their agency and resilience. Recognizing and supporting these diverse pathways is essential for designing inclusive and effective agricultural development interventions. 2025-09-11 2025-10-10T13:16:22Z 2025-10-10T13:16:22Z Presentation https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176977 en Open Access application/pdf Orduz, D.; Bravo, A.; Pazos, M.; Cuong, T.T.; Nguyen, T.D.N.; Hung, P.; Nguyen, T.T.H.; Trung, N.X.; Pam, T.L.; Nguyen, T.; Triana Ángel, N.; Phuong, N.T.M.; Burkart, S. (2025) Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam. Presented at Tropentag 2025: Reconcile Land System Changes with Planetary Health. Bonn, Germany, 10-12 September 2025. 4 sl. |
| spellingShingle | governance local knowledge farmer participation interviews participación de agricultores collective farming conocimiento local entrevista explotación agraria colectiva gobernanza de los pastizales Orduz, Daniela Bravo, Aura Pazos, Mateo Cuong, Tran The Nguyen, Thi Duong Nga Hung, Pham-Van Nguyen, Thi Thu Huyen Trung, Ninh Xuan Pam, Thi Le Nguyen, Thinh Triana Ángel, Natalia Phuong, Nguyen Thi Minh Burkart, Stefan Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam |
| title | Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam |
| title_full | Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam |
| title_fullStr | Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam |
| title_full_unstemmed | Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam |
| title_short | Farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs: Perspectives from northwest highlands in Vietnam |
| title_sort | farmer groups as a tool for rural development programs perspectives from northwest highlands in vietnam |
| topic | governance local knowledge farmer participation interviews participación de agricultores collective farming conocimiento local entrevista explotación agraria colectiva gobernanza de los pastizales |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/176977 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT orduzdaniela farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT bravoaura farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT pazosmateo farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT cuongtranthe farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT nguyenthiduongnga farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT hungphamvan farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT nguyenthithuhuyen farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT trungninhxuan farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT pamthile farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT nguyenthinh farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT trianaangelnatalia farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT phuongnguyenthiminh farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam AT burkartstefan farmergroupsasatoolforruraldevelopmentprogramsperspectivesfromnorthwesthighlandsinvietnam |