CASE STUDY
TRAFFIC
Illuminating Vietnam’s complex wildlife trade chain to drive sustainability.
Challenge
TRAFFIC is a leading global non-governmental organization that focuses on trade in wild animals and plants in the context of both biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.
With growing concerns of potential disease transmission from wild animals to humans in trade, TRAFFIC wanted to map the key nodes and understand potential disease transmission risks across the complexities of wildlife trade chains in Vietnam. After analyzing the trade chain structure, TRAFFIC determined the actors and processes that would help it identify potential interventions. These included social and behavioral change strategies to increase the safety and sustainability of wildlife product supply and consumption in the country.
Solution
Prophet helped TRAFFIC define and analyze the wildlife trade chain in Vietnam.
Based on qualitative expert interviews and secondary research, we defined and visualized a clear and simple wildlife trade chain that illustrates the key nodes, actors and activities across the entire trade from sourcing to consumption of wild animal species in Vietnam (including pangolins, bats, rats, macaques and civets).
Next, we evaluated the potential risks of direct disease transmission to humans. This helped us to prioritize key nodes that require targeted intervention to mitigate risks at various human-animal interfaces.
Leveraging qualitative expert interviews and best practice research, we further assessed and prioritized potential intervention opportunities. We identified quick wins or longer-term investments that have a significant impact on safe and sustainable wildlife product supply and consumption in Vietnam. These included greater efforts to monitor and inform market sellers, improving enforcement of laws and penalties on wildlife trade and transportation, and enhancing education and outreach efforts targeting young people in both urban and rural areas.
Results
The wildlife trade chain analysis is now an instrumental communication tool that enables TRAFFIC to better engage key local and national government, inter-governmental and non-profit organization stakeholders on how to develop and target mitigation strategies for potential disease risks across Vietnam’s wildlife trade chain.
This work also serves as an important springboard for stronger inter-agency collaboration efforts on public health, animal/wildlife health and behavioral change. TRAFFIC is well-positioned to drive further refinement of the joint research with Prophet, guiding practical actions to strengthen the safety and sustainability of wild animal trade in Vietnam and adapting any successes to other national contexts in the broader Asia-Pacific region and globally.
“Working with Prophet has enabled TRAFFIC to visualize our wildlife trade work in Vietnam in a new way,” says James Campton, Project Leader, Wildlife TRAPS of TRAFFIC. “This rapid-research and analysis approach to expert elicitation can help us work more strategically to identify priorities for action and likelihood of impact. The concise summaries and clear infographics created by Prophet give us a model to better share our findings and develop mutual understanding with a range of partners across government, international agencies, private sector and civil society.”
“Prophet’s rapid-research and analysis approach to expert elicitation can help us work more strategically to identify priorities for action and likelihood of impact.”
James Compton
Project Leader, Wildlife TRAPS
Through Prophet’s pro-bono program, pro-bono program Propheteers lend their expertise to a select group of nonprofits, helping them achieve remarkable results. If you or a nonprofit you know is interested in working with us, reach out today.