'Scarcity in plenty' skills shortages and HRM competencies in Vietnam

This chapter presents the analysis of the non-governmental organisations (NGO) linking farmers to markets (LF2M) model. Given that farmers are rational and generally respond to incentives, LF2M by engaging them in the supply chain is likely to encourage increased production, improved quality and better safety of the product with consequent positive impacts on income if they are able to efficaciously engage with the market. Thus, enhancing farmer's access to markets should be a key part of the strategy to promote rural development and poverty reduction. Through the linkage, farmers will benefit in terms of accessibility to the market, access to inputs and access to credit. Rural poverty in Timor Leste is linked to the low production and productivity of most agricultural crops, the lack of market opportunities, high rate of illiteracy and unemployment in the country. The World Vision's income generation and rural community project is one of the programmes that facilitate the transfer of farmers produce to the market.