WWF (Greater Mekong Programme Office) - Produce a Comprehensive Report Outlining Alternatives for Power Generation in the Greater Mekong Sub-region - 2015

Project Description:

Mekong Economics provided one International Economist and one Local Economist to complete the following key inputs into the Final Report:

o   Reviewing assumptions, assisting in scenario development and review of modelling results

o   Providing economic assessment for each for the modelled scenarios

o   Providing input into policy amendments.

CARE International - Economic Empowerment of Women from ethnic groups in the Mekong (Post intervention Data Collection and Analysis for the Impact Evaluation) - 2015

Project Description:

Mekong Economics provided a local Team to collect the primary data though focus group discussions and in-depth interviews with various stakeholders to assist in the impact evaluation of CARE’s interventions in the area of women’s participation and economic empowerment with ethnic groups, to learn which approaches and models worked, to test our theories of change, and to provide recommendations for future programming strategies and direction in the Mekong region.

International Trade Center (ITC) - Consumer survey on preferences for animal and plant products for Traditional Asian Medicine - 2015

Description of the Project:

ITC helped firms in developing countries integrate into the global economy through capacity building and access to trade intelligence. In order to understand more about how to structure markets for sustainability, ITC commissioned MKE to carry out a consumer preferences survey of the use of animal for the market for Traditional Asian Medicine (TAM), including rhino horns. The current project aimed to assess the characteristics and drivers of demand for wildlife for use in traditional medicine in Vietnam.

MKE conducted face-to-face interviews with representatives of companies supplying TAMs and also interviewed 1,000 individuals through Vietnam on the use of TAM and rhino horns (300 rhino horn users and 700 rhino horn non-users but who used at least a kind of TAM were interviewed using structured questionnaires). The project was carried out in close consultation with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and supervised by the ITC’s Trade and Environment Program.

Irish Aid - Scoping study to explore cooperation in the agriculture & agribusiness sectors under Irish Development Experience Sharing Programme - 2014

Project Description:

Irish Aid’s Bilateral Programme with Vietnam commenced in 2005. Ireland’s 2007-2010 strategy for Vietnam and the subsequent 2011 – 2015 strategy contained a commitment to develop bilateral experience exchange links between Ireland and Vietnam with particular reference to economic and private sector development via an Irish Development Experience Sharing Programme (IDEAS).

As Ireland’s c­­urrent strategy for Vietnam 2011-2015 was coming to an end, Irish Aid wished to explore the potential of new areas for knowledge exchange that could be incorporated into a new phase of the IDEAS programme post 2015. In preparation for the new phase of the IDEAS programme, MKE drafted a paper to undertake preparatory work prior to the scoping study by Embassy, with a specific focus in the agriculture and agribusiness sectors.

Trade Commission of an Embassy - Update the profiles of the three industries and Vietnam Market Overview - 2014

Project Description:

Mekong Economics updated these profiles for the Embassy’s Trade Commission.

Belgium Technical Cooperation/Ministry of Planning and Investment - Assessment of the Business Environment and Competitiveness of enterprises in services sectors - 2014

Project Description:

The overall project had four specific outputs:

1.      Comparative Literature Review (Cross-country and multi-sectoral);

2.      Qualitative Primary Research Report (24 in-depth interviews, 16 Case Studies, 4 Value Chain Analysis, and Study Tour Findings);

3.      Final Synthesis Report with concrete recommendations and solutions to 2020, and highlight visions to 2030.

4.      Two workshops

Trade Commission of an Embassy - Opportunities for Aquaculture & Fisheries Products, Equipment, Technologies & Services - 2014

Project Description:

To determine the nature and extent of (commercial) opportunities in Vietnam’s aquaculture sector (as defined by the Client Country’s supply capability), and to develop a market entry strategy to assist the Client Country’s suppliers to access those opportunities.

The Association of Volunteers in International Service - Evaluating AVSI project on establishing a farmer’s cooperative in Pyin Ah Lan Village Tract - 2014

Project Description:

Farmers’ Cooperative in Labutta Township in the Delta Region of Myanmar funded by LIFT and implemented by AVSI Foundation The total budget was around 301,377 USD. The project duration was 36 months from May, 14th, 2011 to 14th May 2014. The project location was six villages (Aing Ma, Kwin Pauk, Ah Mat Gyi, Ah Mat Ka Lay, Yae Cho Kan and Thaung Lay) in the Pyin Ah Lan targeted Village Tract in Labutta Township.

This final evaluation offered the opportunity to assess the implementation of the action with regards to the achievements, impacts/outcomes, the approached and methodology used, the management aspects (including efficiency), as well as to identify weaknesses and strengths in current implementation strategies. It also offered the opportunity to identify ways in which project implementation may be improved to more effectively achieve programme goals and outputs. Emerging lessons learnt and recommendations would be specifically highlighted in order to enable the project team and the network of farmer groups to make necessary adjustments when designing further programme design.

Société du Canal de Provence (SCP) - Preparation of a Hydro-agricultural infrastructures project in the Binh Dinh and Hung Yen provinces - 2013

Project Description:

The project aimed to provide support to AFD’s preparation of a hydro-agriculture infrastructures project in Binh Dinh (central highland province) and Hung Yen (northern province). MKE consultant participated in the field visits to the two provinces to better understand the local context.

Transaction Centre III (BIDV) - The Third Rural Finance Project – Final Socio-economic Impact Assessment Review - 2013

Project Description:

The Development Objective of the Third Rural Finance Project (RF) was to increase economic benefits for rural private enterprises and households by improving their access to finance. The expected outcomes included:

(i) improved access to financial services for rural entrepreneurs

(ii) increased capital investment made by the rural entrepreneurs as well as increased employment

(iii) increased lending, particularly term lending to the rural private sector for capital investment by all participating financial institutions (PFIs) on market-based terms. The RF III was implemented within a period of five years (2009-2013) on the wholesale mechanism with BIDV as the Apex Bank, wholesale project fund to participating financial institutions and micro financial institution (PFIs) and those PFIs would on-lend the loan to end borrowers at rural areas.

Mekong Economics had accomplished a number of activities which consisted of the implementation of a survey of more than 400 end-borrowers, in-depth interviews with more than 40 individuals representing the PFIs and other related agencies, data analysis, reporting and presentation of findings to relevant stakeholders.