Conference scene.

Attending the session on GREAT Project side were Mr. David Gottlied, Counselor of Australian Embassy in Vietnam; On the side of Lao Cai province, there were Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh, Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Head of the Project Steering Committee of GREAT Lao Cai province; On the side of Son La province, there were Mr. Le Hong Minh, Vice Chairman of Provincial People's Committee, Head of GREAT Project Steering Committee of Son La province and members of the Interprovincial Steering Committee of the Project.

The report on evaluation of the implementation results of the second year plan (from July 2019 to June 2020) of the Project in Lao Cai and Son La provinces has achieved many results. There are 30,314 women trained in agricultural production, processing, and tourism knowledge and skills (reaching 136% of the plan). More than 8,770 women are involved in a cooperative or a business network such as: Group of purchasing, group of tourism services (reaching 90% of the plan). Over 7,900 women are provided with resources and production inputs with GREAT support (129% of the plan). The number of women appointed to leadership positions in GREAT-supported focus groups reached 810 (223% of the plan). The value of businesses and cooperatives invested in the GREAT project reached 3.7 million USD, higher than the target of 3 million USD ...

 
Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee spoke at the Conference.

In the next period, the project will prioritize the implementation of 5 main tasks: Continued implementation to progress and respond to translation of Covid-19; increase implementation efficiency and use of funds; improving market solutions, optimizing the participation, benefits and power of women; strengthening policies for the economic empowerment of women; sharing the successful approaches of the project ... In Lao Cai province, the project was implemented in 5 districts and towns: Sa Pa, Bac Ha, Bat Xat, Muong Khuong and Van Ban, total capital of 17.7 million Australian dollars (AUD), equivalent to about 301 billion. As of October 2020, the Provincial People's Committee has approved 35 project proposals of 36 partners, including 6 proposals for tourism projects, 23 project proposals on agriculture, 6 proposals related to agriculture and tourism. The project activities have directly created income and employment for about 20,000 beneficiaries, of which over 80% are women and ethnic minority women; The number of female workers with new jobs is 845 people, 35% of team leaders, production groups are women ...

The parties sign the session's minutes and the action plan for the next phase of the project.

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Hoang Quoc Khanh, Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee emphasized: The project has had a positive impact, contributing to improving production value, generating income, gender equality, improving living standards for poor women, ethnic minority areas, and extremely difficult areas of the province. Lao Cai. In the coming time, Lao Cai province hopes that the project will continue to support activities to create more sustainable market, production and business linkages in the fields of agriculture, tourism and gender equality. At the same time, it is recommended to the investor to extend the project implementation period from 6 to 12 months; from the expected results and impacts of the project after the completion, consider and supplement the capital for the second phase of the project in Lao Cai and Son La provinces ...

At the session, members of the GREAT Interprovincial Steering Committee approved and signed the session's minutes, action plan, and project implementation in the coming period.