BFTW - 2019

Project Title: Bright future for off-grid communities and vulnerable farmers in An Giang province, Mekong Delta

Project background:

GreenID has successfully implemented “Green Solutions for Access to Energy for Rural Poor in the Mekong Delta” project in 03 communes including An Hao, Tan Loi, Vinh Trung in Tinh Bien district, An Giang province with funding support mainly from Bread for the World and co-funding from WWF-Vietnam, Schneider and local partners. By the end of November 2018, 5,468 people in off-grid communities benefited from project’s solutions and provide information. 625 households in three targeted communities in Tinh Bien district improved their energy access through applying 07 sustainable energy solutions including solar home system, solar lantern, LED bulbs, biogas, solar sprayer, improved cook stove and solar pump.  06 other green solutions were applied in public space such as solar street light, LED bulbs for office, solar power for water treatment, green play ground, green library and saving lighting system for school. The most impressive achievement of this project is the establishment of “first ever 100% solar power village in Vo Ba and Ta Lot of An Hao commune”. These results prove the social, environmental and economic benefits of sustainable energy as alternative solutions for off-grid and poor communities. These key messages documented in the project’s policy recommendations were presented to and highly appreciated by the leaders of Ministry of Trade and Industry and provinces. Through this project, we also learnt that community people can make a lot of difference if they are equiped with accurated knowledge and skills to apply technology in their daily life. More work need to be done at both policy and ground work for scaling up of good practices for energy access as well as for ensuring the central role of local community in renewable energy development in the province.  

Objective: The overal goal of this project is that the opportunities for green livelihoods for the poor are enhanced through increased application of renewable energy.

   Objective 1: The poor off – grid community in Tri Ton and Tinh Bien district have access to affordable decentralized renewable energy

   Objective 2: Local community enjoy alternative livelihood opportunities

   Objective 3: Just transition is reflected in the province’s renewable energy implementation plan

Key activities:

   The project will start with two general activities as below:

• 06 kick – off meetings with stakeholders ( provincial, district department, local authorities, mass organisations and An Giang university

• Two- day Planning workshop in An Giang province

   After this kick-off stage, a package of activities will be implemented under each objective.

  Objective 1: Poor off – grid community in Tri Ton and Tinh Bien district have access to affordable decentralized renewable energy

• Capacity building for GET on:

1. Communication and facilitation skills (02 three- day trainings)
2. Resource mobilization skills (02 three- day trainings)
3. Technical RE solutions which are appropriate and affordable in the area ( 04 three - day training course)

• GET together with villages identify the RE solutions to be implemented at household level based on practical demonstration through series of meetings with off-grid community
• Capacity for local entrepreneurs on: Market survey, Business plan development and Value chain of products to ensure that RE products meet the demand with appropriate quality of households.
• Establish Financing mechanism to increase and secure access to RE for up to 500 households – based on concluded agreement between local entrepreneurs and individuals groups of households, the project bears up to 50% of the costs for poor households.

  Objective 2: Local community enjoy alternative livelihood opportunities

• Research on mitigation of negative impacts of large-scale solar plants on farmers to ensure just and benefits for local people in developing renewable energy in the province. The tentative solutions may include combination between agriculture and renewable energy solutions, new cooperatives, partnership formulation among local communities and developers for win-win solutions.
• Establish a pilot solar PV system with agriculture cultivation in Tinh Bien district.
• At least 3 meetings with provincial and district government departments on: 

1. Legal framework & policies on RE;
2. Solutions for affected households 

• 10 meetings with local people possibly affected by solar farms to: enhance their understanding about energy and land policies and regulations; increase their understanding about opportunities and major threat from solar farm
• Dialogue between communities, local authorities and investors on good practices of improving livelihood of local people by combination of suitable crops and alternative energy
• Provide capacity building based on selected solutions. The capacity package includes:

1. Study tour to catch agricultural products/crops under solar panel
2. Designing training program based on the needs
3. Conduct up to 03 three days training for local farmers in commune centre
4. Provide tuition fee for village students to attend selected vocational training program on green electricity and green agriculture through direct payment to school
5. Financial support for championer farmers in piloting new livelihoods opportunity

• Develop Vo Ba village as the first Green Village in Mekong delta.

  Objective 3: Just transition is reflected in the province’s renewable energy implementation plan

• Workshop on just transition concept in the province
• Policy papers on land use and integrated solar and crop solutions and development of green village development
• Documentation and publication of project results
• Final workshop to share lesson learnt and project results with national decision-makers and stakeholders in Hanoi

Project duration: From 01/03/2019 to 28/02/2022