“I only attended the training for three days, but it felt like I learned so much,” shared Tang Thi So Banh from Lieu Tu commune, Can Tho City, after taking part in a Training of Trainers (TOT) course jointly organized by Oxfam and the Vietnam Farmers’ Union.

Chị Tăng Thị Sô Banh phát biểu

"I always felt confined to household work, following a fixed routine without creativity to generate additional income for myself", Ms. Tăng Thị Sô Banh shared when reflecting on the changes before and after joining the training course.

 

So Banh said she now feels more confident applying the knowledge and skills gained to lead community sessions on occupational safety and health, social protection, access to employment, sustainable livelihoods, and gender equality in the shrimp–rice value chain.

Core members from different levels of the Farmers’ Union, farmer groups, and agricultural cooperatives were trained in class and received direct coaching at their groups to help them serve as trainers for other farmer members.

Through the training, Ms. Banh, together with core staff of the Farmers’ Union at different levels and group members, was equipped with the knowledge and skills to organise and facilitate thematic sessions that encourage broad participation and integrate gender sensitivity.

Through the training, Ms. Banh, together with core staff of the Farmers’ Union at different levels and group members, was equipped with the knowledge and skills to organise and facilitate thematic sessions that encourage broad participation and integrate gender sensitivity.

The training curriculum covered a wide range of topics, from building, strengthening, and developing groups; promoting gender equality and enhancing women’s leadership and economic empowerment; to practical issues such as occupational safety and health, social protection, access to employment, and sustainable livelihoods.

Between September and October 2025,The project “Promoting Access to Social Protection and Better Working Conditions for Women Farmers and Seasonal Agricultural Workers in the Shrimp and Rice Value Chains in Vietnam” (2022–2026)  organized TOT classes combined with on-site coaching for 150 core members (50% of whom are women) from 30 farmer groups and cooperatives across the project’s three provinces: An Giang, Ca Mau, and Can Tho.

Group-based and cooperative agricultural production plays a vital role in strengthening collective action, enhancing farmers’ bargaining power within value chains, and increasing benefits and welfare for both members and local communities. Therefore, building the operational and management capacity of farmer groups and cooperatives is a key factor in unlocking the potential of farmers—especially women and seasonal agricultural workers.

The project “Promoting Access to Social Protection and Better Working Conditions for Women Farmers and Seasonal Agricultural Workers in the Shrimp and Rice Value Chains in Vietnam” (2022–2026) aims to support 16,800 women farmers and seasonal agricultural workers in An Giang, Ca Mau, and Can Tho to gain access to decent employment and social protection. The project contributes to advancing gender equality and strengthening resilience to natural disasters and climate change.

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