Future farmers festival – experience, inspiration on agricultural development

The project “Intensification of beef cattle production in upland cropping systems in Northwest Vietnam” (project No LPS/2015/037) is funded by the Australian Center for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR), in which Department of Quantitative Analysis (belonging to the key research group of Economics Linkage and Market Development), Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Vietnam National University of Agriculture is a key partner. The project has been implemented since 2017 and after 5 years of implementation, the research team has realized that the potential for the development of cattle breeding in the province is significant. In addition, small-scale, fragmentation of production, and weak linkage among actors are found to be the key factors leading to economic inefficiency and low farmers' awareness of livestock production, limited market-oriented farming in Dien Bien cattle production system. Although the shortcomings and limitations of farmers' awareness greatly affect the development of livestock in general and the development of cattle raising in particular, changing farmers' awareness should be considered as a long-term process.

Realizing that children have an important role and influence in socio-economic development in general and agriculture in particular, especially in affecting the perception of their parents and relatives including farmers, the project research team of the Faculty of Economics and Rural Development, Vietnam National University of Agriculture, the National Institute of Animal Science, Thai Nguyen University of Agriculture and Forestry, Tay Bac University and the University of Tasmania (Australia) have collaborated with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development of Dien Bien province, the People's Committee of Tuan Giao district (Dien Bien province), and Quai Nua No 1 Primary School - Tuan Giao district to organize an inspiring and experiential activity on agricultural development so-called "Future Farmers Festival" for students in grades 4 & 5 at Quai Nua No 1 Primary School, which is located in the project's study area.

Project members take commemorative pictures with a group of students from Quai Nua No 1 Primary School

At the program, students in grades 4 & 5 were able to hear, see and learn about the beef cattle value chain, growing grass activity for raising cows, and virtual reality technology (VR) in agricultural education. They were also given opportunities to show their creativity and imagination about the future farmer via drawing and acting competitions. These activities have been enthusiastically participated by the students. The research team hopes that the project will encourage them to study better and inspire them to strive for future agricultural development.

Students were simply introduced to the beef cattle value chain

Students had the opportunity to role-play the actors in the beef value chain

The students had the opportunity to experience the activities of planting grass and raising cows

Students experience virtual reality (VR) technology in agricultural training

Students participate in group work activities (Teamwork).

Students draw creative pictures of the future farmer

The students exchanged farmers' production scenarios that can happen in the future

Ninh Xuan Trung, Duong Nam Ha,

Key Research Group of Economics Linkage and Market Development