The project, funded by The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), will focus on the digital transformation of the mango and dragon fruit smallholder farmers in the Northwestern region of Vietnam.
By enhancing the farmers’ digital capabilities, the project aims to help them comply with Vietnamese Good Agricultural Practices (VietGAP).
VietGAP is a national voluntary standard established by Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to promote safe, high-quality, and sustainable agricultural production.
The overarching goal is to help farmers access the premium markets enhance the position of Vietnamese fruit in global value chain.
ACIAR said this was a key part of its portfolio in Vietnam, which it valued at A$18.6m (U$12.16m) for the next five years.
Vietnam views the partnership as a significant step in advancing its agricultural innovation and sustainability goals.
“We wish to collaborate closely with Australia in general, and ACIAR in particular, to achieve Vietnam’s goals of green growth, digitalisation, and innovation in the agriculture sector, leveraging both Australia and Vietnam’s strengths and advantages,” said Deputy Minister Tran Thanh Nam, MAE.
The project will be a four-year bilateral research partnership co-led by the Applied Horticulture Research (AHR) and Vietnam’s Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI).
It will also involve the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (NOMAFSI) and Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA).
‘Vietnam-led priorities’
This was a renewal of a long-standing partnership between Vietnam Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MAE) and ACIAR, the Australian Government’s specialist agricultural research-for-development agency.
“ACIAR has been a proud partner of MAE for over 30 years. We are pleased to see the integration of agriculture and the environment, which will support Vietnam in addressing pressing challenges through a more comprehensive approach,” said Professor Wendy Umberger, chief executive of ACIAR.
Both organisations agreed on a renewed focus on Vietnam-led priorities at the Vietnam Embassy in Sydney during a dialogue on August 22 that was also attended by Dr Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy General of International Cooperation Department, MAE.
“ACIAR is committed to helping Vietnam develop country-led initiatives, from identifying research needs to developing new projects in Vietnam for the benefit of Vietnamese people,” said Umberger.
In addition to announcing the new project, the event was an opportunity to reaffirm the commitment to a “trusted, accountable, and mutually beneficial partnership” established under the March 2024 MoU between ACIAR and MAE.
