TRAN THI KIEU THANH HA

Save the Market: How Endangered Public Markets from

Around the World have been Preserved

Project Manager, Livable Cities HealthBridge

Saving Fresh MarketsHanoi – Vietnam

Barcelona Conference, March 25 -28th 2015

Introduction of HealthBridge

• An international non-profit organizations, headquarter in Ottawa, Canada

• HealthBridge works with partners world-wide to improve health and health equity through research, policy and action.

HealthBridge Livable Cities Program

• The Livable Cities program, established in 2006, works to ensure supported, healthy behaviors and livable spaces for at-risk urban populations.

• The program has three components: access to public spaces, healthy transportation and healthy food.

The Share in This Presentation

Fresh Markets Introduction

Status and Necessity for Saving

HBV’s Saving Markets Campaign

Hanoi, a City of Markets

Fresh Market Introduction

Where is Hanoi?

Hanoi is the capital of Vietnam

Areas: 3,344.7 km2

Population: 7,100,000 (2013)

A socialist, middle-income country

Open-door economic policy since 1986

Young population with a desire of modern lifestyle.

What is Fresh Market?

History of Fresh Markets in Hanoi

Markets have always been central to Hanoi’s culture

and economy

Along with temples, pagodas and community

centers, markets have a history of hundreds of

years

A market network existed among villages and the

surrounding rural areas

By the 17th century, the city was even given another

name, Kẻ Chợ, or market place

Fresh Markets important to Hanoians’ life

Nutrition and fresh foods

Well-being

Affordable

Local economy

Cultural ways of life

Social relationships

Rural-urban relationships

Hanoi’s Markets are under Threats

Status and Necessity for Saving

Current status of Fresh Markets

Type 1 Type 2 Type 3

13

67

300

Type 1: Large-scale; serves the whole city

Type 2: Serves an area radius of 2.5 – 3.0km

Type 3: Serves a neighborhood area or a ward

Current status of Fresh Markets (2010)

These markets provide

easy access to

Hanoians, especially the

urban poor who cannot

afford to shop in

supermarkets

Future plan of government (2020):

Under current proposals

the number of traditional

markets will be

drastically reduced by

2020

Residents will lack

convenient access to

the traditional markets

Although plans call for

more supermarkets and

hyper-markets, these are

unaffordable for many

Hanoians

Success or failure? Hang Da example

A traditional market

in city center is

turned into

enclosed, luxury

retail shopping mall

Success or failure? HangDa example

New fresh market

was forced

underground next to

the car parks and

not attractive

enough for the

residents

Success or failure? HangDa example

The result is very

boring inside. Many

shops are closed,

the others without

customers

Success or failure? Hang Da example

Instead, vendors

and customers

rely on informal

market areas in

the streets

surrounding

Success or failure? Hang Da example

informal markets in the streets are

illegal and vendors are chased by

police, can be unhygienic.

Toward Healthy Eating

HBV’s Saving Markets Campaign

Our strategies

Evidence Partnerships Media

Finding evidences – shaping arguments

A case study – Feb, 2011:

Interviews with vendors and clients to see impacts of turning fresh markets into

shopping centers and private commercial buildings.

A position paper – Mar, 2011:

Seven arguments why fresh markets are important to urban life quality

A brochure – Apr, 2011:

highlighted values of fresh markets and recommendations to preserve and

develop kind of market in Hanoi.

Looking for alliance – creating network

Round table – Nov, 2011:

Organized a round table on “Traditional markets in modern cities” with 14 policy

makers from several ministries and departments in Hanoi, research institutes on

fruits and vegetables, architecture, urban planners…

Workshop – Mar, 2012:

Organized a workshop “Developing and managing traditional markets in

Vietnamese cities”. Presented our findings, arguments, and recommendations to

100 professionals of various fields, government officers, policy makers and

media…

One-to-one – 2011 - 2012:

Organized meetings to showing evidence and recommendations to four

important people from ministries and departments of Hanoi who were directly

involved in the market development plan of the city.

Using media - creating public pressure

Articles – 2011 - 2012:Overall, there were more than 30 media articles in Hanoi’s local newspapers

focusing on the threat to traditional markets and the development plan of

Hanoi’s government.

Online series – 2011 - 2012:Three famous Vietnamese online media ran special issue series discussing

whether Hanoi should replace markets by super and hyper-markets or not and

what would be consequences.

The results:

Increased public pressure, gave a voice to Hanoian

people to request Hanoi Gov to reconsider the policy

of replacing traditional markets

Improved awareness of policy makers on values and

needs of preserving fresh markets

Decreased the number of traditional markets to be

turned into commercial centers, rental offices and

private buildings…

Specific changes:

Hanoi’s Gov requested Department of Trade &

Industry and related agencies to review the

development plan of markets (Jun, 2012)

Hanoi’s Gov decided to terminate an investment

project to convert NghiaTan fresh market into a

commercial centre (Jul, 2012)

Hanoi’s Gov decided to stop three projects to convert

markets into commercial centers and reviewed eight

other similar projects (Early 2013)

What are specific changes in policy?

Hanoi still cannot eliminate traditional markets and it

must not eliminate the markets in the next five or

seven years at least. Traditional markets will still

exist, because they are essential and legitimate

demands of the Hanoians. Therefore, Hanoi needs to

plan traditional markets as a part of its infrastructure

development program.

Chairwoman of the Hanoi People’s Council

Ngo Thi Doan Thanh

Jul, 2013

What are specific changes in policy?

Hanoi has decided to stop the program turning

traditional markets into commercial centers.

Traditional markets are not necessary to be turned

into supermarket because of issue related to habits,

living conditions and income of people. The

development of markets should appropriate with

people demands and expectations.

Vice Chairman of the Hanoi People’s Committee

Vu Hong Khanh

Dec, 2013

Lessons learned:

Shaping sound arguments was very important.Opinions concerning markets vs supermarkets are controversial in term of hygiene and

food safety.

Finding good alliances, identifying champions was

very critical to the successThe voices of credible professionals of various fields helped the campaign be successful.

Using the media was an effective way to create public pressureThe power of local media was the main success factor in this case. In fact, it influenced the policy makers. Unfortunately developers have found the way to influence the media.

Continued efforts still neededAlthough we have achieved some results, the fresh markets still face many challenges and the risk of elimination still exists.

What to do next:

• Improve the quality of the market management

• Work with vendors to improve customer experience

• Increase vendors’ awareness of their rights how to advocate for themselves.

• Try to advocate for policy that protects markets

HanoiTowards a Livable City

There are some info in this presentation are cited from previous reports, papers and

presentations about markets in Hanoi by HBV’s colleagues and partners.

Many thanks for all.