South-East Asia is one of the world’s most important biodiversity hotspots and Vietnam, Laos, and Myanmar are amongst the most biologically diverse countries on earth. With a growing annual demand of 10-15% worldwide, natural ingredients sourced from this biological resource represent a huge business potential - particularly on international high-end markets, where customers are willing to pay a premium for sustainably produced and fairly traded goods.
According to Mr. Miroslav Delaporte, Head of Cooperation at the Embassy of Switzerland in Vietnam, “This project aims at conserving biodiversity through sustainable trade of natural ingredient, in which it focuses on increasing the competitiveness of local exporter and producers, developing livelihood for rural population and taking into account BioTrade principles”. Despite this, the sector has not yet reached its potential to become a leading export sector in Vietnam. “That sector has been facing challenges such as threats to biodiversity and economic development of the rural population, for instance, the over exploitation of biodiversity-based resource from natural forests for exporting to low quality market (like China) currently is threatening the social, environment and livelihood of upland farmers and banning export opportunities for local companies. ”, Mr. Nguyen Que Anh, Director of Vietnam Star Anise and Cassia Manufacturing and exporting JSC shared.
To unleash the great economic and environmental potential of this sector, the project will focus on the collaboration with (i) 12 companies in Vietnam and 20 companies in total to establish export oriented value chains, following Ethnical BioTrade Principles, (ii) service provider to eliminate/reduce service related bottlenecks slowing growth the natural ingredients sector and (iii) Government and other institutions and stakeholders to establish a conducive enabling environment for the BioTrade sector.
“Over the next 3 years, we will work to increase the competitiveness of local exporters and enable them access to high-end markets, while providing better income and jobs opportunities for harvesters and producers. By incorporating the principles of Biotrade, we will ensure that, biodiversity is protected and encouraged during this process.”, Andrew Wilson – Regional Project Manager, Helvetas Vietnam shared.
| HELVETAS VIETNAM HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation in Vietnam: HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation (HELVETAS) is one of the most experienced and largest development organisations in Switzerland. It came into existence on 1 July 2011 with the merger of two organisations: Helvetas (founded 1955) and Intercooperation (founded 1982). As a politically and denominationally neutral association, HELVETAS is supported by over 100,000 members and sponsors, as well as 12 regional groups of volunteers. HELVETAS is working in Vietnam since 1994, in the sector of Agriculture & Forestry, Governance & Peace; Water & Sanitation and Rural Development. |
HELVETAS VIETNAM
