Speaker:  Dr. Lisa Hiwasaki, CGIAR Research Program on Integrated Systems for the Humid Tropics

Vietnam has experienced remarkable socio-economic development in recent years, but the benefits of economic growth are unevenly distributed, and inequality is increasing in the country. Inequality is reinforced in agricultural development, as agricultural extension services, training, and research focus on Kinh, the majority ethnic group.  How can agricultural research increase the engagement of marginalized groups?  Gender norms studies and qualitative impact assessments were conducted in Northwest Vietnam to better understand the impacts agricultural projects have had on the communities. The research found evidence of the ways in which ethnic minorities, especially women, were being marginalized through agricultural projects, but also, the livelihood strategies they have adopted under these circumstances. I argue that in order for agricultural research to have positive development outcomes for marginalized groups, it is necessary to change the way such projects are implemented.