1. Project overview

  • Project: Greening our Rice: Gender-Just, Low-Carbon, Rice Value Chains in Vietnam (Go-Rice)
  • Project Location: An Giang, Tra Vinh, Soc Trang
  • Ultimate Outcome: Enhanced well-being of rice producers, especially women and vulnerable groups through an inclusive and low carbon rice supply chain development in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam
  • Work Requested: Conduct research on gender and ethnic minorities (EM) situation using Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+)
  • Timeframe: May – July 2025

2. Background 

Oxfam is a global movement of people who are fighting inequality to end poverty and injustice. Oxfam confederation currently has 21 member organizations working in 79 countries. We share a vision of a just and sustainable world. A world where people and the planet are at the center of our economy. Where women and girls live free from violence and discrimination. Where the climate crisis is contained. And where governance systems are inclusive and allow for those in power to be held to account. 

Oxfam in Vietnam believes that a reduction in poverty, injustice, and inequality will occur through the interaction between active citizens, accountable states and responsible private sector, and that it is fundamental to Vietnam’s development. Oxfam in Vietnam contributes to a shift from the current growth-based development model to a Human Economy that cares for People and the Planet. 

Vietnam is the world’s third-largest rice exporter, producing 7.6 million tons in 2023 on 7 million hectares, ensuring food security for 90% of the population and employing 15-16 million farmers (GSO, 2024). However, rice farming is responsible for 49.5% of GHG emission in agriculture sector in Vietnam Small-scale farmers, particularly women and EM, face challenges due to limited resources and climate-smart agriculture (CSA) knowledge, further hindered by gender biases.

At COP26, Vietnam committed to net-zero emissions by 2050 and a 27% reduction by 2030 under its Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs). Contributing to this objective, the government launched the One Million Hectare of High Quality and Low Carbon Rice Program (2023-2030) (1M Hectare Rice Program), which requires roughly USD 2.7 billion in funding (MARD, 2024). This budget is expected to be mobilised from financial institutions, the public, private, and development sources. Therefore, transforming the rice sector for sustainability is crucial and requires collaboration between governments, the private sector, communities and international partners. 

In this context, Oxfam in partnership with five partners will implement Greening our Rice: Gender-Just, Low-Carbon, Rice Value Chains in Vietnam (Go-Rice) during the period of 2025-2030. The project aims to improve the well-being of rice producers, particularly women and ethnic minorities (EM), through inclusive and climate smart rice production (CSRP) in the Mekong Delta, particularly Tra Vinh, An Giang, and Soc Trang provinces. The project partners will include the Institute of Agriculture and Environment (IAE), Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), and the Departments of Agriculture and Environment (DAE) in the three project provinces. The project aligns closely with Vietnam's national priorities, particularly the “1M Hectare Rice Program”, which is aimed at reducing carbon emission, protecting the environment, improving rice quality and maintaining Vietnam's competitiveness in the global rice market. The project will focus on improving climate change adaptation and mitigation, increasing incomes, food security, gender equity and social inclusion. It aims to enhance decision-making power and access to resources and markets, particularly for women and EM, adopting a right based, feminist, and intersectional approach (including GBA+). This includes promoting the active participation of all stakeholders who are women and men rice producers, community leaders, traditional leaders, enterprises, private sector actors, financial institutions, government, investors, and consumers, with an estimated up to 48,200 people.  In particular, the project will reach 20,500 rice producers of which 50% will be women rice producers and 20% EM rice producers.

The GoRice project applies gender-responsive outcomes using a Gender based analysis plus (GBA+), feminist approach to enhance decision-making power and access to resources and markets, particularly for women and EM. Thus, the intermediate outcomes have interlinked: First, by increasing gender-responsive CSRP using climate smart agriculture practices (CSA), the project promotes sustainable farming, income, carbon emission reduction and resilience to climate impacts. Second, by increasing the leadership and decision-making power of women and EM in CSRP, the project empowers vulnerable groups, ensuring their active participation in economic opportunities and resource management. Finally, strengthened collaboration and inclusive policy frameworks will drive systemic change, fostering long-term sustainability, mobilizing necessary resources with equitable access for CSRP, benefiting all stakeholders.

Key strategies include addressing negative gender and social norms, building capacity, providing technical assistance to rice producers, facilitating equitable access to resources and markets, and fostering multi-stakeholder engagement to influence policy. Gender and social issues linked to CSRP and circular economy practices will be identified and addressed throughout the project cycle. This includes conducting needs assessments, technical training, resource allocation, and influencing change across multiple levels (individual, household, community, and market). As a result, both women and men rice producers—particularly EM and those from poor households—will have a voice and take action on issues that affect them, with solutions tailored to their specific needs, competencies, resources, and cultural contexts.

At the initial phase of the implementation, a research on gender and EM situation, including gender and social norms and public awareness on participation, contribution, and decision making of women and EM in rice production will be conducted in three project provinces (Soc Trang, An Giang and Tra Vinh) and other related regions/cities of the Mekong Delta of Vietnam (MKD). This research is to serve the project design, particularly to better inform project theories of changes and project implementation. Oxfam in Vietnam is seeking a (team of) consultant(s)/ consultancy firm to carry out this research.

3. Purpose and Scope 

The research will provide a comprehensive and specific information on gender equality and social inclusion (GESI) in the rice sector in MKD, with a focus to the rice producers, particularly women and EM in the process of transition to/ participation in climate smart rice production (CSRP) for the project to review and design its strategies and interventions toward gender responsive and social inclusion to develop project implementation plan (PIP). The study also is a complement on gender and social aspects of parallel technical assessments on Climate vulnerability analysis (CVA), Value chain analysis (VCA) and contributes to mark baseline values for the project.

The research will employ Gender-Based Analysis Plus (GBA+) in research guidelines[1], and will be conducted in the project provinces between May - July 2025.

Specific research objectives:

  • Analyze gender dynamics and intersectionality (including age, ethnicity, ability, socio-economic status, and migration status) that affect the participation of women and EMs in climate-smart rice production, leadership roles within cooperatives, and decision-making at household and community levels in the Mekong Delta context.
  • Identify and analyze systemic and structural barriers—such as lack of training, access to land, financial services, technology, digital tools, and market information—that prevent equal access to and control over productive resources, for women and ethnic minority people in rice-producing areas.
  • Assess intra-household and community-level power relations with an emphasis on how unpaid care work responsibilities, prevailing gender norms, and limited negotiation power impact women’s participation in CSRP decision-making and capacity development activities.
  • Document harmful gender norms, social expectations, and discriminatory practices that reinforce gender inequality and social exclusion in rice production systems.
  • Evaluate the capacities and limitations of local service providers, cooperatives, and mass organizations in supporting gender-responsive approaches, and identify gaps and institutional practices that limit the leadership and economic empowerment of women and ethnic minorities in CSRP.
  • Complement gender and social aspects of parallel technical assessments, specifically Climate Vulnerability Analysis (CVA) and Value Chain Analysis (VCA), contributing to baseline values for the project.
  • Provide practical and evidence-based recommendations for mainstreaming gender equality and social inclusion across GoRice’s implementation strategy, including in climate-smart agricultural training, cooperative governance, financial inclusion, and technology transfer.

Note: Consultants are required to work closely with the teams conducting baseline, Climate Vulnerability Assessment, and Value Chain Analysis to ensure joint scheduling of fieldwork, alignment of research tools, and coordination of all related tasks.

Cross-cutting issues/ work cross assessment teams:

  • Specific vulnerabilities of EM women related to climate change.
  • Roles of women and EMs in different stages of the rice value chain.
  • Constraints and opportunities for women and EMs in adopting climate smart agriculture practices and digital technologies.

Key GBA+ Themes to Explore

  • Gender roles, responsibilities, and decision-making dynamics.
  • Intersectionality affects access to resources, technologies, and finance.
  • Institutional barriers to gender equality.
  • Harmful gender norms and their transformation.
  • Good practices for empowering women and EMs economically and socially.

4. Key Activities and Deliverables

Expected results should be:

  • A detailed research plan including methodology, field level work and approaches, tools to collect and analyse information/data, and inception report discussed with and agreed on by Oxfam.
  • A validation workshop for Oxfam to disseminate and discuss around the findings
  • A draft report for review
  • A final report: with comprehensive GBA+ analysis and recommendations; summary report for wider dissemination.

The final research report submitted to Oxfam is in both English and Vietnamese.

5. Methodology

The study will integrate the GBA+ framework, combining qualitative and quantitative methods to ensure comprehensive intersectional analysis:

  • Quantitative surveys: Gender-disaggregated data on demographics, resources access, decision-making power, and economic participation.
  • Qualitative methods: Key informant interviews (KIIs), focus group discussions (FGDs), and participatory rural appraisal (PRA), particularly Gender Action Learning Systems (GALS).
  • Intersectional lens: Analysis considers multiple identity factors (e.g., ethnicity, age, disability, socio-economic status).
  • Participatory and rights-based feminist approach to ensure women, EMs, and other marginalized voices actively contribute.

6. Timeline

The following table entails key activities and timeline for carrying out the Research:

  • Start date of contract: Week 3, May 2025
  • Meetings and consultation with Oxfam: Week 3, May 2025
  • Develop detailed research plan and design research tools/inception report: Week 3 of May – week 1 of June 2025
  • Conduct field works: June -July, 2025
  • Presenting Present initial findings to Oxfam & research participants/ validation workshop: July, 2025
  • 1st draft report for review: July, 2025
  • Date of submission of the draft report: 20th July 2025
  • Finalize final report and a summary report, including a final dataset and analysis in MS Word to Oxfam: July, 2025
  • Date of submission of the final report: 31st July 2025

7. Profile of the Research Team

The consultancy can include different team members but have mixed genders. Key competencies of the team include:

  • A minimum of a Master’s degree or equivalent experience in development/ social science field.
  • Proven expertise in applying GBA+, feminist research, and intersectional analysis.
  • Extensive experience in undertaking mixed gender research methods.
  • Sensitivity to cultural and historical contexts in the data collection and analysis process.
  • Ability to facilitate sharing information and discussion at multiple levels and in diverse contexts
  • Strong knowledge and experience on gender equality, women’s empowerment and social inclusion in agriculture value chains and rural areas, in the relationship with climate change resilience, inclusive business in Vietnam context, especially in Mekong Delta;
  • Experience with working with local authorities and communities in remote areas, especially ethnic minority groups and women is an advantage;
  • Strong written and verbal communication and presentation skills in both English and Vietnamese
  • Proven experience of similar scope and topic is preferable;
  • Ability to meet deadlines and prioritize multiple tasks.

8. Submission of Proposals

The proposal should include the following:

  • The consultant team or company’s profile and CVs, and related experience.
  • A technical proposal outlining all expected objectives that provides a detailed description and explanation of proposed methodologies, data collection tools, detailed workplan, field survey and quality control plan, team composition, qualifications, roles and responsibilities of each member, and any other resources that the consultant(s) will make available to execute the assignment.
  • A financial proposal that specifies the number of working days, daily rate and logistic costs.
  • Sample similar reports done by the team. 

Oxfam is committed to preventing any type of unwanted behavior at work including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse, lack of integrity and financial misconduct; and committed to promoting the welfare of children, young people and adults. Oxfam expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment through our code of conduct. We place a high priority on ensuring that only those who share and demonstrate our values are recruited to work for us. 

How to Apply: The Proposal should be submitted in English by email with subject mentioning “GORICE-Gender research” to HR.Vietnam@oxfam.org.

The closing date for application: 11th May 2025.

We regret that only short-listed applicants will be contacted for an interview.

[1] https://www.canada.ca/en/women-gender-equality/gender-based-analysis-plus/resources/research-guide.html#links