Perspektiven der landwirtschaftlichen Genossenschaften in VietnamAxel Wolz

ASIEN – Nr. 81 (2001) pp. 7–31

During the late 1980s Vietnam started a process of decollectivisation in agricultural production. All land had been distributed among the farm families. The former agricultural production cooperatives lost their raison d’être. They had either to transform themselves into modern service cooperatives promoting the farm production of their members or to cease to exist. With the adoption of the Cooperative Law in 1996, the basic cooperative principles of the international cooperative movement, i.e. self‐help, self‐administration and self‐responsibility, have become accepted. By the end of 1999, about one third of the agricultural cooperatives had been dissolved, another third had completed the transformation process already while the remaining third was just in the process. This paper examines the transformation process and the present state of agricultural cooperatives as well as the set‐up of new cooperatives. They have to be economically successful to be of a lasting nature. The findings reveal that agricultural cooperatives have limited working funds and no access to credit. Hence, they have to focus on a few activities only and expand gradually. Outside interference in the management by the local administration is widespread. But more and more managers have become self‐confident enough to minimise these demands.