# GRAISEA2

From April 22-23, 2019, MCD partnered with Ca Mau Department of Agricultural and Rural Development to successfully organize a training titled: “Improving management capacity, planning skills and promoting the establishment of group regulations in shrimp farming cooperatives in Ca Mau”. This training was established within the framework of the project “Enhancing gender equality in the value chain shrimp and agribusiness investment in Vietnam and Southeast Asia – GRAISEA Phase 2”. The goal was successful and sustainable value chain management through capacity building and integrating farmers into meeting the requirements for improving productivity and product quality. In addition, activities such as promoting participation and increasing women’s economic empowerment through collective activities and business initiatives helped support the goal.

The program was attended by representatives from several stakeholder groups such as provincial management agencies like DARD Ca Mau, the Ca Mau Branch of Agricultural and Rural Development, and NGOs such as WWF and MCD and most importantly there were 44 participants (33 men and 11 women) whom represented the 7 shrimp farming cooperatives in 4 project districts: Cai Nuoc, Dam Doi, Tran Van Thoi, and Thoi Binh.

Training activities focused on two objectives: (1) training cooperative management skills including the integration of gender elements, and (2) business planning skills training. Ms. Than Thi Hien – MCD Deputy Director opened the first day of training by sharing the overview of the project, as well as the approach of WEE to improve women’s economic empowerment, especially those found in the shrimp sector in Ca Mau.

Mrs. Than Thi Hien – MCD Deputy Director shared about WEE and the approach to improving
women’s economic empowerment.

Cooperative management skills and the development of participatory women’s collective action principles were discussed among MCD staff, experts and various actors. At the end of the session, participants engaged in group discussion to enhance their knowledge.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Diep – representative of Cai Bat Cooperative presented the discussion results

The following day, an expert shared with participants tactics for business planning and allowed them to develop their skills about the how-to’s of planning, financial management skills, business plan modelling, and practice building a business plan to promote women’s participation. The training finished with cooperatives part-taking in a mock business planning activity where they could practice their skills to further improve their knowledge and understanding of how to produce plans for their own cooperatives in the future.

Photo: Participants discuss advantages and disadvantages and solutions to overcome in cooperative management

Throughout the two days of operation, MCD worked alongside coordinators to design the program with a combination of theory and practice, to help participants have the opportunity to improve their knowledge and practical skills at the training session. At the same time, special attention was paid to mobilizing women’s participation in speaking, sharing ideas, and presenting general discussion results.

At the end of the training course, the trainees gained knowledge and skills of the group and cooperative management, business planning skills, and understood the roles and methods of promoting women’s participation in business and management. According to the director of Tan Hong Cooperative:

Tan Hong Cooperative has been improving the business plan of the group, in the coming time, the cooperative wants to produce more auxiliary items such as dried shrimp… to mobilize more women’s participation to increase income for people. However, shrimp farming is still the main concern and production of the locality and the cooperative wishes to cooperate to link the consumption of output products towards sustainable standards.

Photo: Tan Hong cooperative shared their economic plan 2018 – 2019

Through the training “Improving management capacity, planning and promoting skills, building regulations for groups of cooperatives for shrimp farming in Ca Mau”, 44 members grasped the basic skills for developing a business plan by sharing experiences among the various groups and representatives from across Ca Mau. More importantly, women now can participate in a new and more active role in the group, thereby completing the ultimate goal. It is important to note that a high capacity of small-scale producers, especially women allows for more fair opportunities and benefits for shrimp farmers in Ca Mau when participating in the climate change shrimp value chain.