Prosperity Initiative, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), Lam Dong Province and Winrock International, participated in the Bamboo Sector Conference “Emerging Trends for the Bamboo Industry in Vietnam” on May 14, 2010 in Da Lat city.

At the conference, MARD announced its plan to develop a national bamboo strategy. This strategy will include policies for land, finance, technology development, trade promotion and product standards and research. Upon MARD’s request, Prosperity Initiative’s Mekong Bamboo programme will assist in the development of this national strategy.

Dr. John Marsh, Prosperity Initiative’s Executive Director, and Ngo Viet Hung, Business and Investment Lead, presented on the global bamboo market outlook and pressed bamboo, respectively.

News of the conference has been published in several print and online newspapers (double click on the tittle to read the news).

Vietnamnews: Bright future ahead for bamboo growers

USAID Vietnam website: USAID supports Conference on Opportunities for the bamboo industry in Vietnam

17-19 September. Prosperity Initiative recently attended the world’s major annual bamboo conference. The triennial World Bamboo Congress took place in Bangkok and involved the participation of more than a hundred researchers, policy makers, bamboo enthusiasts and NGO representatives from 30 different countries.

18 August. Prosperity Initiative has received its official operating permit as an international NGO from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. This registration confirms the shared objectives of the Ministry’s and Prosperity Initiative to support the development of a diverse, sustainable and competitive bamboo sector to benefit poor farmers, workers, and businesses. Currently, Prosperity Initiative is working under an agreement with Houaphanh province to develop the industrial bamboo sector.

14-16 September. Prosperity Initiative’s Business and Investment Manager, Vien Kim Cuong, recently attended the 2009 Agriculture Outlook Asia Conference in Singapore.

The annual conference provides a forum for those working in agri-business to exchange information on many major issues facing Asia’s agricultural sector today, including climate change, food supply shortages in the face of increased global population and underinvestment in agriculture. A number of solutions to such issues were also discussed, such as improving technology, supporting farmers and improving productivity.

Mr. Cuong presented on Prosperity Initiative’s experience working with bamboo businesses in Viet Nam and Lao PDR as well as Prosperity Initiative’s work in southern Viet Nam in the coconuts subsector. As most of the conference participants are directly involved in farming, Prosperity Initiative stood out as an organization supporting poverty reduction by working with businesses. It was also a unique opportunity to network with potential investors for targeted investment in Viet Nam.

Prosperity Initiative held three launch events, composed of partner MoU signing ceremonies and value chain mapping workshops for their Bamboo Handicrafts projects in Cambodia and Lao PDR. The events took place in Kampong Chhnang province, Cambodia on 11 September, in Vientiane Province on 15 September and Champasak province, Lao PDR on 25 September. 

The projects, jointly called the Results-Based Initiative (RBI) – Improving Bamboo Handicraft Value Chains for Women’s Economic Empowerment in Cambodia and Lao PDR, aim to improve livelihoods of the rural poor through development of the bamboo handicrafts supply chain, one in which women are the largest group of financial beneficiaries.