Description

Despite Viet Nam’s progress in agricultural production and export growth and in liberalizing commodity, land, and credit markets in recent years, rural poverty remained high while private investments remained at low levels. From 2000, sector growth and poverty reduction was placed at risk by (i) decreasing returns to labor, (ii) diminishing demand for rice and other exports because of low quality, and (iii) falling returns to irrigation infrastructure (where rice was the dominant output). The core sector problems were low productivity and profitability, undiversified production, low quality, weak research and extension support, and competitiveness of the agriculture system. Policy reforms to sustain growth in the sector were needed in the development and use of technologies through research and extension and improved access to credit by small and medium-sized enterprises.

This report validates the completion report’s assessment of the program which was designed to assist the Government of Viet Nam in addressing key agriculture constraints related to productivity, profitability, and competitiveness with emphasis on small farmers and small and medium-sized enterprises. IED overall assessment: Successful

Contents

• Project Basic Data
• Project Description
• Evaluation of Performance and Ratings
• Other Performance Assessments
• Overall Assessment, Lessons, and Recommendations
• Other considerations and Follow-up