Implementing Research Activities of the project “Integrating Smallholder Households and Farm Production Systems into Commercial Beef Supply Chains in Vietnam” in Hung Yen Province

Updated on 10:33, Wednesday, 06/11/2024 (GMT+7)

The project "Integrating Smallholder Households and Farm Production Systems into Commercial Beef Supply Chains in Vietnam" (AGB/2020/189) is a collaborative research initiative between the University of Tasmania (UTAS), Australia, the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), and the Center for Rural Development (CRD), Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry, funded by the Australian Government through the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR). The Department of Economic Management (formerly the Department of Quantitative Analysis), a key partner from the Faculty of Economics and Management (formerly the Faculty of Economics and Rural Development) at VNUA, plays an integral role.

The primary goal of the project is to enhance linkages between livestock households, businesses, and stakeholders in beef supply chains in both Australia and Vietnam. Through business model approaches, the project also aims to improve the livelihoods of livestock households engaged in Vietnam's commercial beef supply chain. Among the provinces involved, Hung Yen has seen significant activity by the VNUA project team.

At the beginning of the project, in early 2024, to gain an understanding of the livestock sector in Hung Yen, project experts and scientists carried out numerous activities in the field to discuss and collect general information on cattle farming practices across the province in recent years. In May 2024, the project organized several discussions with local leaders to identify research locations and initiate data collection activities that would support the project’s objectives.

Experts and scientists from the University of Tasmania (Australia), Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), the National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS), and the Central Rural Development Center (CRD) held discussions with local leaders regarding the beef cattle industry in Hung Yen.

Mr. Le Trung Can, Deputy Director of the Hung Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, shared that beef cattle are considered one of the key livestock sectors for Hung Yen, particularly in areas along the dikes. The province has a total of over 35,000 cattle and buffalo, with beef cattle making up around 65% of this population. High-quality beef cattle are increasingly comprising a large portion of the province's livestock population. Hung Yen City (focusing on Phu Cuong and Hung Cuong communes) has one of the largest herds in the province, and Tien Lu district is also an area with a relatively well-developed cattle industry. Although Hung Yen has significant potential for livestock development due to its flat terrain, abundant natural grazing areas along the dike communes, and ample natural feed and agricultural by-products, there are still limitations in linking farmers into the beef supply chain. Therefore, it is hoped that the project, "Integrating Smallholder Households and Farm Production Systems into Commercial Beef Supply Chains in Vietnam," will help foster linkages and further develop beef cattle production in Hung Yen in the coming period.

Mr. Le Trung Can, Deputy Director of the Hung Yen Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, speaking on beef cattle farming in Hung Yen Province.

After discussions with local leaders, the project team selected Hung Yen City (Phu Cuong and Hung Cuong communes) and Tien Lu district as the two main research sites for data collection supporting the project’s research objectives.

In July and August 2024, the research team from VNUA conducted a range of activities to collect information on cattle farming and farmer connections within Hung Yen’s beef supply chain. These activities included focus group discussions with farming households, in-depth interviews with farmers, and interviews with key input suppliers (feed suppliers, veterinary drug providers, collectors, slaughterhouses, straw suppliers, etc.) within Hung Yen. After an initial rapid assessment of the cattle farming and beef supply chain linkages in Hung Yen, the team developed a questionnaire and began directly surveying cattle-raising households to compile data and information to support the project’s subsequent research objectives. The collected data and information will be analyzed by the research team, who will then decide on the next interventions for the project.