Binh Thuan(VNA) – A workshop was held in the central province of Binh Thuan on December21 to review the results of the project “Enhancing Opportunities for Women’sEnterprises (EOWE)”, which has been underway in the province since 2016.

The EOWE Project, part ofthe “Funding Leadership and Opportunities for Women (FLOW)” programme, is beingimplemented in the provinces of Binh Thuan, Ninh Thuan, Quang Binh, and BinhDinh by the SNV Netherlands Development Organisation between 2016 and 2020,with funding from the Netherlands’ Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The FLOW-EOWE projectaims to advance women’s economic participation and self-reliance by creating aconducive environment for female entrepreneurship as a vehicle for change. Itfocuses its support on women working in agribusinesses by increasing theiraccess to agribusiness models, assets, technology, markets, and information.

In order to increase incomesand improve the livelihoods of women in agriculture value chains, the projectsupports and promotes climate-smart agricultural business models and femaleleadership in farmer groups and cooperatives.

In addition, it works totransform traditional gender roles within households and communities thatinhibit women from starting or advancing businesses; increase the gender-sensitivityof key policies and laws; and establish a women’s economic platform andnetwork.

In Binh Thuan, theproject has brought positive changes to local awareness of gender equality.Activities to promote gender equality have been held in various forms, forexample, family group meetings and dialogues among households to help women alterthe way they see themselves and consequently live their lives; and communityfestival events to promote the notion of housework being shared equally,despite gender stereotypes.

Under the project, theprovincial Department of Agriculture and Rural Development has partnered withthe local Women’s Union in a range of activities to raise women’s income fromagribusiness, with the main focus on rice, cashew nuts, and dragon fruitfarming.

The project has helpeddevelop rice farming models using the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) on atotal of 115ha in Tuy Phong, Bac Binh, and Tanh Linh districts. It has alsobuilt sustainable value chains in cashew farming in Duc Linh district andsupported women to grow dragon fruit that meets VietGAP and GlobalGAPstandards.

Furthermore, the project hasassisted local agricultural cooperatives in developing collective trademarks,trademarking their branded logo and package design, and marketing theirproducts.

According to theprovincial Women’s Union, over the three years since it started, the projecthas inspired new business ideas for many women and translated them intoreality. This has not only enabled women to improve their income, but alsoenhanced their economic empowerment and obtained greater equality in familydynamics.

In the coming time, thelocal Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and Women’s Union willcontinue campaigning and persuading more women to take part in the project’sactivities. Binh Thuan expects to raise awareness of gender equality amongabout 100,000 locals, increase income for 20,000 women, and support at least 18women to start their own businesses.–VNA