So I've been in Vietnam for 2 months now as an intern with Roots of Peace. It's been a unique experience, living with Tucker Kuhn, the ROP Vietnam Country Director, accompanying him to visit the offices in Binh Phuoc and Quang Tri, and--most of all--getting to meet the cacao and black pepper farmers. In January I made two trips to the ROP SHADE (Sustainable Horticulture and Agriculture Development) in Binh Phuoc--once with my sister, Katrina, who took photos for Roots of Peace--and again with Tucker and Gary Kuhn, Executive Director of Roots of Peace. Both trips involved some hot temperatures, washed out red dirt roads, and, of course, lots of smiles.
Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Ghim was so eager to show us her cocoa pods and family farm. Thanks to higher earnings from cocoa production, her family is starting to grow asparagus--a brand new crop in this area (Bù Gia Mập, Binh Phuoc).
After visiting several cocoa farms, ROP staff, my sister, and I were invited to share a meal at the home of Mr. Nguyễn Văn Hiền, Club Leader. Every time we visit farmers and their families, we are invited to tea or a meal. In this case, the Club Leader invited us to come and stay in his home. Amazing hospitality!
ROP involves the Vietnamese government's agriculture department in their work in order to reach as many farmers as possible and provide excellent agricultural training and assistance. This helps to build the foundation for cacao production in Binh Phuoc that is sustainable in the short- and long-term. During Gary's recent visit, we met with the Binh Phuoc Agriculture and Aquaculture Extension Committee (AAEC). Here, Mr. Nguyễn Quang Ngân, ROP Project Manager (in the striped shirt), discusses plans for ROP and AAEC collaboration in 2012.
ROP's cocoa project works with established cashew farmers since cacao needs shade--75% as seedlings and at least 50% as mature plants. Pictured here are one-year-old ROP seedlings in Mr. Nguyễn Tất Nhân's farm (Bù Gia Mập, Binh Phuoc).
Binh Phuoc Province is the epicenter of cashew production in Vietnam. Cashew trees tend to flower in the dry season--but if it rains after the trees flower (as it was during our visit), fungus and mildew results. Hence ROP's SHADE Cacao Project provides cashew farmers with a "safety net" by helping them diversify their agricultural production.
The ROP SHADE Cacao Project works with Club Leaders that are trained by AAEC staff and provide advice and support to ROP cacao farmers in their area. Here, Gary and Tucker (far right) compliment farmer Nguyễn Tất Nhân (in the dark green jacket)--and, by extension, Club Leader Kiều Văn Thái (in the black jacket)--on his beautiful cashew and cocoa farm (Bù Gia Mập, Binh Phuoc).
Ms. Nguyễn Thị Mơ, ROP Extension Advisor, stands next to a two-year-old ROP cacao seedling to demonstrate how ROP cocoa farmers are growing success!
I'm back in Ho Chi Minh city after a week up in Bình Phước Province. It's exciting to be back in the city--and also a little scary. I didn't have to worry about getting run over in Đồng Xoài, where the Roots of Peace office is. Yes, there was traffic, but nothing like HCMC.
The first week of my internship involved getting to know the folks in the Bình Phước Province Roots of Peace office: Tucker, the Country Director, Son and Mo, the Extension Agents, and Em Anh, the driver.
Eating lunch with Tucker, Sun, and Mo Em Anh monkeying around in a cashew tree
World demand for cocoa is up and international traders like Cargill are pushing for more production; thus countries like Vietnam are jumping on board. Roots of Peace works closely with government agencies that are involved in the push for cacao production. The Sustainable Horticulture and Agriculture Development Pilot (SHADE) Project works with around 840 cacao farmers and began distributing cacao seedlings 3 months ago. All the farmers selected had fully grown cashew trees, which provides good shade for the cacao trees. There is a club leader for every 20-30 farmers in the project within a certain area. The club leader keeps tabs on how the cacao is doing and acts as a liaison with Roots of Peace and the government agricultural agency. Roots of Peace is focused on capacity building (giving more responsibilities to the government, club leaders, and farmers) and training for farmers to produce quality cocoa.
After I received clearance from the government, I was able to go out into the field with Tucker, Son, Mo, Em Anh, and government extension agents to do some M&E. (That's Monitoring and Evaluation for those of you who, like me, aren't familiar with development acronyms). We visited 2 different clubs and saw 6 different cacao farms. Most were doing well--and some had plants from previous government projects that were already producing cocoa pods.
On the red dirt roads
Mo interviewing a female farmer
Mo demonstrating just how tall cacao plants can grow...
This is where your chocolate comes from
It was great to see the cacao plants up close and meet the cacao farmers. It was, however, also very hot and luckily I didn't drink too much water--not sure where I would have had a bathroom break! (Men can squat wherever--but not women).
And after a long half day in the sun, we attended the weekly "working dinner" with local officials. This is "networking" at its finest. It involves meeting at a restaurant, bringing a case (or 2) of Heineiken (rice liquor if you're in the north), and eating, drinking, and more drinking. There is quite a bit of toasting that goes on--involving everyone at the table, the person next to you, the respected guest, or even the waitress. There's a cheer which challenges the other person/people to drink their whole glass ("tram phan tram" or 100%). Women are allowed to go "nam muoi" (50%). I earned the respect of many men at the table by doing a few 100%ers, but I knew my limits. I also gained a few admirer who showered me with compliments as the time passed: "Miss Summer, you veeery veeery beautiful"...and friendly, and nice, and tall, and so on and so forth. It was a lovely self-esteem boost. And I know, that should I get lonely in Vietnam, I have a few suitors just waiting for me to call.
