Lo Minh Duc is a development practitioner working to strengthen inclusive livelihoods and wellbeing for ethnic minority communities in northwest Vietnam. He currently serves as a Provincial Coordinator for the Gender-Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism (GREAT) Program, funded by the Australian Government. In this role, he coordinates provincial implementation and works closely with ethnic minority women, local authorities, private sector partners, and community organizations to expand equitable participation and leadership in agriculture and tourism market systems. 

Before joining GREAT, Duc coordinated agriculture and forestry projects funded by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), supporting community nurseries and restoring native tree species to improve household income while strengthening environmental resilience. Duc brings expertise in market systems development, women’s economic empowerment, and monitoring, evaluation, research, and learning. He translates gender-responsive policies into practical actions that expand ethnic minority women’s access to training, finance, markets, and decision-making. In Son La, he strengthens inclusive agriculture and tourism value chains by convening provincial partners and businesses, aligning community needs with market demand, and using learning systems to improve program decisions and results.

Duc’s commitment to equity is deeply personal. Growing up in mountainous areas, he witnessed how poverty, limited education, and environmental degradation shape people’s health, livelihoods, and future opportunities. These experiences grounded his belief that economic empowerment and wellbeing are inseparable, especially for women who face structural barriers linked to geography, language, and social norms. A key turning point in his journey was working directly with ethnic minority communities, where he saw how inclusive market approaches and supportive local governance can create meaningful change when implemented consistently at both provincial and community levels.

Going forward, Duc aims to scale market-driven, gender-responsive approaches that strengthen women’s leadership and build resilient, sustainable livelihoods, so ethnic minority communities can thrive socially, economically, and environmentally.