Ms. Sopheavy TY presented on 'SEMIL Policy Research and Policy Advocacy Option' at Regional Review and Planning Workshop 2017, Hanoi, Vietnam

1. SEMIL Policy Research and Policy
Advocacy Options
Sopheavy Ty
Head of Portfolio Management Unit in Asia and Pacific
SRI-LMB Regional Review and Planning Workshop
23-25 April 2017

2. Page 2
• Policy baseline: an in-depth analysis of government,
development sector and private sector policy and
practices that hinder/enable sustainable livelihood/food
security and resilience of smallholder farmers.

3. Policy research is to provide critical insights and a
contextual analysis of the current policies and practices
of public and private sectors that affect smallholders -
including rain-fed rice farmers - in attaining sustainable
livelihoods, productivity and profitability while facing the
pressure of climate change.
Policy research is to Prepare and Inform Pro-Poor Options
for Policy Advocacy and Dialogue

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Cambodia
• Complex and contradictory array of public sector
policies with inadequate evidence-based policy
analysis and implementation
• There is a need for advocacy for an increase in
policy analysis particularly before designing further
policies.
• Gender is reasonably well represented in this
policy environment however investment and
implementation is weak
• Exceptional support by multilateral and bilateral
agencies that collaborate with government and civil
society. This multiplicity of stakeholders is an
advantage and can be used to pursue advocacy
strategy through various channels and create
synergies which hold the key to the efficiency
• Adequate incentives for extension staff/system -> the
concept of Service Team (groups of rural women and
landless trained in crop husbandry are able to sell
services to smallholders in their communities) has been
piloted successfully under Oxfam in Cambodia project
and this approach can be adopted for extension worker.
• Women Farmer Forum: a mechanism that the concerns
and voice of women small scale farmer are heard by
policy makers and development partners.

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Laos
• Facilitate private sector engagement in the rice value
chains
• Involve and develop civil society actors, be they
existing NGOs or soon to be created Farmer’s
Cooperatives.
• The National Socio-Economic Development Plan
considers provision for smallholder rice farmers in the
upland to continue farming and given them choice.
• The overall industrialization strategy is reshaped from
resource extraction towards cottage industry and the
production of goods to be consumed locally with
sufficient quality and at competitive prices
(sustainability).
• Advocacy is needed in encouraging the corresponding
reshaping of public extension from the provider of
service role to a facilitator/coordinator role.
• Women and Smallholder Farmer’s concerns and
initiatives are heard and recognized in order to inform
policy makers, Development Partners and research
institutes so that policy design/formulation is responsive
-> Laos Women Union is a key player.

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Thailand
• More mature agricultural producer than the 3 other
countries.
• The Philosophy of Self- Sufficiency Economy and The
New Theory of Agriculture – a guiding principles behind
the ‘Thai development way’ provide ideal methods for
any new intervention with their focus on self sufficiency
and resilience.
• Contract farming presents an opportunity with a few
short-comings, especially for poor farmers who have a
low bargaining power. Protection with legal framework.
• There is a need to call for research on the impact of
global markets and how small farmers may benefit
(position in the value chain). -> more in the next
presentation of Macroeconomic study
• The Research Centre of Communication and
Development Knowledge Management (CCDKM) is a
key partner who hosted and was responsible for linking
Thailand SMART Farmer to ASEAN- SMART Farmer
by using information, communication and technology
tactics to empower smallholder farmers across
Thailand.

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Vietnam
• There is a need for Incentives for private or
farmer-led extension services (including input
registration) and facilitation of contract
farming arrangements with development of
regulations and mechanisms to protect the
poorest.
• There is a need to review the new agriculture
restructuring to identify potential benefit to
smallholder farmers in the new agriculture
restructuring program.
• Focus on rice quality for policy intervention on
domestic market and ensure this is enshrined in next
SEDP (drafting is starting) -> SRI network (Oxfam,
SNV, ICC, JFDR, VECO, Hanoi Agriculture University,
Agriculture Environment Institute, National Food Crop
Institute, and PPD.)

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Next steps
• Carry out the research of Women in Agriculture: an assessment of policy environment as it
pertains to gender.
• Review policy options of Macroeconomics study and implications on small-scale farmers.
• Develop policy briefs for the project.
• Develop one regional paper on why does it pays to invest in smallholder agriculture and women
and landless producer when it comes to food security.
• Final report on project accomplishment and follow up.