A Team composed of Ms. Marlene Ramirez, Secretary General of AsiaDHRRA, Ms. Ma. Elena Rebagay, Program Manager and Mr. Nonoy Villas, Project Coordinator of Linking Small Farmers to Markets visited and conducted an In-Country LSFM Project Orientation Meetings with anchor organizations in the Philippines, Cambodia and Vietnam during the period January 18 to 27, 2008.
The LSFM Project orientation visit was aimed to:

1. Provide country anchors with comprehensive information about the project leading towards common understanding about the project;
2. Discuss and agree on the terms of reference of in-country anchor;
3. Identify and agree on the next major steps for first quarter of project implementation;
4. Generate commitment of country anchors and other major stakeholders on the project and
5. Introduce the project and establish link with relevant agencies and groups.

The Project orientation visits arranged meetings and discussions with key officers and personnel of PhilDHRRA in the Philippines, CEDAC in Cambodia and Vietnam Farmers Union in Vietnam. Within the schedules, AsiaDHRRA team also arranged meetings with CamboDHRRA in Cambodia and VietDHRRA in Vietnam to appraise them on the results and development of the meetings with country anchor as well on mobilization of DHRRA members for their support to the LSFM project.
Philippines
In January 18, 2008, the team meet with Mr. Jaybee Garganera, National Coordinator of PhilDHRRA and Mr. Bert Pardalis, PhilDHRRA Finance Manager and have discussions over the project, the expected outputs, the terms of references and key provisions of the partnership agreement binding AsiaDHRRA and PhilDHRRA in the implementation of the project.
PhilDHRRA will mobilize PAKISAMA in the implementation of the project. PAKISAMA is a national federation of small farmers in the Philippines. PAKISAMA is a member of the Asian Farmers Association (AFA).
Cambodia
In January 20 to 23, the team proceeded to Cambodia to meet with key officers of CEDAC and CamboDHRRA.
The Center for Study for the Development of Agriculture in Cambodia (CEDAC) is the implementing partner or anchor of LSMF in Cambodia. The Social Enterprise Unit (SEU) will be the responsible unit under CEDAC. SEU is headed by Mr. Som Kong. He will be the focal and accountable person for this project in CEDAC. Mr. Kong will be supported by a Marketing Officer who will be hired by the project.
In the morning of January 23, 2008, AsiaDHRRA and CEDAC signed the partnership agreement for the project.
The FNN
Farmers Nature Network (FNN) is a national federation of farmers engaged in sustainable agriculture and organic agricultural production in Cambodia organized by CEDAC. FNN will be a major participant in Cambodia for this project. FNN is a member of AFA.

Meeting with the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF)
Mr. Lim Saody, Chief of the Agricultural Marketing Office of the Department of Planning and Statistics of MAFF in Cambodia met the team and expressed his office as well as the department’s support to help CEDAC achieve the targets and objectives of the project.
GTZ and DED Rural Enterprise Development Project
The team also arranged meeting with Ms. Dary of the Greenbelt Enterprise Project in Siem Reap. Ms. Dary briefed us about the project and pointed out possible collaboration, albeit the project has just started.
CamboDHRRA
The team also met with members of the CamboDHRRA Board of Directors to ensure CamboDHRRA’s participation and support in the implementation of the project. The members of the Board of Directors agreed to select a representative to join the Project Advisory Group to help CEDAC in the implementation of the project.
Vietnam
In January 24, 2008, the team meet with Viet Nam Farmers Union (VNFU). The meeting was attended by key persons in the International Cooperation Department and the Research Department.
The VNFU is a national union of farmers throughout Vietnam with around 9 million members. The Union draws core support from government. VNFU is an associate member of AFA.
VNFU is the anchor organization for the implementation of LSFM in Vietnam. The Research Department of the VNFU, headed by Mr. Nguyen Van Tam, Director and VNFU Standing Committee member, is the focal unit which is directly responsible for the project implementation. A person from will soon be appointed as the Marketing Officer.
The International Cooperation Department and the Economic Department will cooperate with the Research Department in the implementation of the project. The Economic Department will provide technical assistance to the Research Department for this project.
The signing of the partnership agreement between AsiaDHRRA and VNFU will be made as soon as the Research and the International Cooperation Departments will received the written approval from the higher leadership of VNFU.
Meetings with the ASEAN Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MAF) and Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD)
The team arranged a meeting with the key persons in the ASEAN Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vietnam. The meeting aimed to brief the representative(s) of the ASEAN Department about the project and discuss specific support from the ministry for the in-country implementation.
The team also met Ms Pham Thi Hong Hanh, Program Officer of the International Cooperation Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Ms. Pham informed the team that MARD will support the in-country implementation through the various departments of MARD.
Meeting with VECO
The team explored possibilities of linking the project with existing initiatives on marketing. VECO is one among the very few NGOs in Vietnam engaged in marketing. In January The team met with Ms. Liesbeth van Brink, Country Representative of VECO Vietnam and Ms. Nguyen Thi Chau, Manager of Field Operations at their office in Hanoi.
VietDHRRA
The team also met with Dr. Bui Quang Toan, Director of VietDHRRA and his senior staff to discuss VietDHRRA’s participation and support in the implementation of the project. Dr. Bui Quang Toan will sit in the Project Advisory Group that would provide support to VNFU in the implementation of the project.