Annual Report 2009 - Asian Productivity Organization

One Village, One Product Model for Sustainable
Rural Development
The One Village, One Product (OVOP) movement
has expanded to various regions as a means to
promote the development of regional and local economies.
Its popularity stems from its holistic approach
to harnessing local resources and engaging the entire
community in the process of developing distinct products
that can be marketed in both local and overseas
markets. However, in some APO member countries it
remains in its infancy.
Visiting a One Tambon, One Product village, Thailand
Recognizing its great potential for improving productivity
and energizing rural economies, the APO with
financial support from the Colombo Plan organized
a workshop on the One Village, One Product Model
for Sustainable Rural Development, 16–20 February,
in Chiang Mai, Thailand, to assess the present OVOP
movement in member countries, identify factors
affecting its success and sustainability, and formulate
strategies for broadening its scope. The workshop was
attended by 26 participants from 11 countries. The
project was implemented by the FTPI.
Program coverage: The world of the OVOP movement:
The case of Oita prefecture in Japan as a model
for sustainable rural development; OTOP implementation
in Thailand: Major challenges and key factors
of success; Institutional arrangements for OTOP in
Thailand: The role of government ministries/agencies,
local government/NGOs, and state colleges and
universities in OTOP implementation; Marketing
perspectives of community enterprises in Oita prefecture:
Evaluation of marketing activities under OVOP;
Finding the overseas market for OTOP products: The
role of market research; and Challenges in designing
OTOP products for overseas markets. Site visits were
made to various OTOP sites in Hang Chat and Muang
districts in Lampang province and in Pasang and Mai
Tha districts in Lampun province.
Evaluation of the Integrated Community Development
Program: One Village, One Product Movement
Promotion in the Mekong Region
The APO has been implementing the ICD-Mekong
Program over the last four years with funding support
from MOFA, Japan. The program focuses on national
capacity building for implementing the One Village,
One Product (OVOP) community development
model. Four regional projects were organized from
2005 to 2008, along with follow-up in-country activities
and pilot projects.
The APO organized a workshop on Evaluation of the
ICD Program: One Village, One Product Movement
Promotion in the Mekong Region, 9–13 November, to
evaluate the implementation of the OVOP movement
and related activities in the Mekong region countries
and identify elements for their sustainable implementation
and expansion; update national OVOP
strategies to expand the movement; and enhance the
knowledge of participants of the tools and techniques
in participatory planning, monitoring, and evaluation
of OVOP and related integrated rural community development
activities. Nineteen participants from four
countries in the Mekong region and three resource
persons attended.
Program coverage: Comparative analysis of OVOP
and OTOP: Essential elements and features;
Development of an effective institutional mechanism
for a sustainable national OVOP movement; Value
addition to OVOP products: Transforming local raw
materials and local indigenous knowledge and skills
into marketable products; Finding the markets for
OVOP products; The role of market promotion and
marketing support for OTOP products: Experience
from Thailand; Preparing action plans for enhancing
OVOP programs: Basic planning tools and technique;
and Designing a monitoring system for OVOP
programs: The results-based monitoring approach.
Participants visited three villages in Bac Ninh province
producing woodblock paintings and ceramic crafts.
Development of NPOs
Center of Excellence (COE)
In early 2009, the APO launched a pilot center of
excellence (COE) project in the area of business
excellence (BE), designating SPRING Singapore as
the first COE. The COE initiative was conceived in
2008 at the annual APO Governing Body Meeting
and Workshop Meeting of Heads of NPOs. The APO
COE concept and approach were then discussed at
a consultative meeting held at the Secretariat, 12–13
February 2009, involving selected NPOs that had
expressed interest in becoming a COE. Based on
that discussion, the Secretariat established an action
APO ANNUAL REPORT 2009 37
INTERFACE SECTOR