Sustaining and Enhancing the Momentum for

Innovation and Learning around the System

of Rice Intensification in the Lower Mekong
river Basin countries
(SEMIL-SRI-LMB project)
Timespan: 2013 2017
Total budget: 3,4 million Euro (Oxfam America 300k)
Donor: European Union
Implementers:
Asian Institute of Technology (lead); Oxfam; Institute for
Development Studies/Sussex university; FAO (Regional IPM
Program in South and Southeast Asia)
4 countries, 10 provinces and 30 districts

Outline
WHere
Why SEMIL-SRI-LMB
Project architecture
Purpose and Expected results
The Program model
Approach
Role of Oxfam America
Relation to WIN
Oxfam Americas added value to the project
SEMIL-SRI-LMB timetable (OUS responsibilities)
5 researches/timeline


Where
Bac Ninh
Uttradit
Takeo
Kampot
WHY SEMIL?
75% rice calorie &
protein intake;
47% chronic
malnutrition
Lowest income per
capital
69% areas rain-fed
lowland rice;
36% food insecure
Northern
upland;
Largest rice
areas with
lowest income
per capital;
37% poor
Upland and
central areas;
Rainfed,
extreme
climate
condition;
Rice based
production
80% Smallholder farmers + 20%
landless laborers (50% women)
Rice based production is
mainstay for livelihoods, food
security and income
Poor fertilized soil
Unreliable pattern of rainfall
with frequent drought
Low productivity
Limited farm management
skills
Top-down extension services
Lack of platform for farmers
innovation
Project architecture


Purpose and expected results
E
R
4

National research extension capacity strengthened and training capacity of farmer trainers,
national trainers and local involved in smallhoder farmer extension program improved
E
R
3

Co-generated knowledge and learning documented, disseminated and pro-poor policy briefs
developed and shared with policy makers
E
R
2

Science based, profitable crop management practices developed, demonstrated and spread on
larger scale
E
R
1

Multi-institutional-multi-stakeholder networking developed and strengthened from local to
regional level
Increased crop yield, productivity and profitability on sustainable basis at
smallholder farmers field in rainfed areas of Lower Mekong river Basin
OUS: Generation and advocacy
of options for policy dialogue
within the rainfed LMB
countries to enhance food
security sustainably in the face
of climate change pressures
The program model

The program model (cont)

Approach
Establishment of
Innovation platform
Experiment;
Document; Publicize the
process & results
Research; evidence based-
articulation of policy
recommendations &
options
Structured/Unstructured
dissemination

Mainstreaming
agricultural research for
development via North-
South partnership
Integrated farmer-
centered research
approach into the design
of future development
policy
Role of Oxfam America& the relation to WIN

RESEARCH

ADVOCACY
FOR
CHANGE
WIN
POLICY ASKS

COALITION
BUILDING
DIALOGUE
+ Strategy + Commitment = Global champion
FLAIR
SEMIL
GROW
20M smallholder
farmers
1.4M SRI farmers
GoVs built in
Pro-poor policy
Cooperation framework
with Oxfam
Haiti visit
Korea-DPR visit
Ethiopia visit
ADDED VALUE OF OXFAM AMERICA TO SEMIL-SRI-LMB
Whats next: OUS Policy-related work plan
Research 1: Review curriculum for Gender & Landless
(finished)
OA will act as contractor and coordinator for this component of the project.
The objective is to collect, compile and review research papers, discussion
papers, program reports, policy papers and other materials deemed relevant
to issues of gender and landlessness in the context of the smallholder
communities of the four countries of the Lower-Mekong Basin (and) prepare
a basic synthesis of the learning and recommendations from this material and
refine the curriculum, support materials and MEL so they can better support
gender and landless considerations.
The outputs are expected to be:
1) A literature review of women and landlessness situation in 4 countries;
2) A TOT training guideline document for each country,
3) Recommendations for the overall project MEI
It is expected that this work will also provide platform for the project to
commence advocacy and communications relevant to CVLT.
Budget $16,800
Research 2 - Policy baseline (Feb-Mar 14)
(An analysis of policy environment and practices of the public, private and development sectors towards smallholder farmers and small-scale agriculture in
the context of food security and climate change in the Lower Mekong River Basin countries)
This will involve an in-depth analysis of government, development
sector and private sector policy and practices in order to establish a
baseline for the ongoing advocacy and communications dialogue
supported by the project. This is primarily desktop research which will
be tested via consultation /verification with government and project
partners.

The outputs are expected to be:
1) Portraits of smallholder farmers in 4 countries;
2) A comprehensive analysis of the policies and practices of
public/private/development sectors that hinder/enable sustainable
livelihood/food security and resilience of smallholder farmers;
3) Identification of policy priority/recommendation;
4) Monitoring, Evaluation and Impact indicators to monitor policy
progress.
Budget $18,800

Research 3 Land field study (Apr-Jun 14)
It is recognized that one of the most telling factors affecting smallholder
agriculture in the region is secure access to land. For this reason the project
will undertake to engender dialogue on the issue. Given the sensitivity of
the issue in several of the countries the project will focus the study on
Cambodia using statically sound field survey design. This survey piece will
be designed to illustrate the change in land management since Oxfam
completed the Cambodia Land Study Project (1999). It is intended to
provide opening for constructive dialogue in all four countries.

Expected outputs include:
1) a desktop review of policy and practice pertaining to access to land
(following on from the policy baseline);
2) a statistically robust analysis of access to land in Cambodia.

This work will be used to support the advocacy and communications
dialogue
Budget $28,000

Research 4 Macroeconomic Study of Implications of SSF
Investment in LMB (Mar-May 15)
Each of the countries in the LMB is pursuing different macro-economic
strategy. While there is emerging cross-border cooperation the potential
or otherwise for the smallholder economy is not well understood. At the
same time the opportunity cost associated with investing in smallholder
agriculture of otherwise, is not well understood in the region.

This body of work will seek to address both of these aspects from the
perspective of the stallholder economy /wellbeing and from the
perspective of sector, national and regional economies.

The output is expected to be :
1) a robust, logical and defensible analysis of Marco-economic strategy
that will feed into the projects policy and advocacy dialogue;
2) a f2f briefing for the project team
Budget $19,600


Research 5 - Women in Agriculture (Mar-May 16)
This research piece is intended to bring the message of the project the circle
to women in agriculture. Building on the project experience and other
learning in the region. Oxfam will design and commission a focus-group
discussion series in each of the four countries. A small independent team
will be established to visit selected groups in each of the countries. Selection
will seek to ensure representation of the range of agendas, opportunities and
threats identified with the project.

The outputs are expected to be:
1) an assessment of the policy environment as it pertains to gender
(following on from the baseline work);
2) an analysis of the circumstance of women in agriculture in each of the
countries based on a focus-group discussion series;
3) recommendations for women in agriculture going forward and
4) a f2f briefing for the project team
Budget $31,000

Wow! That was a
quick
Presentation!

So basically our program
will provide a unique
opportunity to support the
interests of smallholders in
a lot of important
policy and strategy debate.