On November 6-7, 2024, at Pan Pacific Hanoi Hotel, the National Knowledge-Sharing Workshop on Advancing Climate-Smart Agriculture in Vietnam was held under the coordination of Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) and the Mekong Institute (MI). The workshop was organized to evaluate the results of the project: “Promoting Climate-Smart Agriculture Technologies and Innovations in Lower Mekong Countries” and to plan future strategies for enhancing CSA adoption in Vietnam.
Opening the workshop, Ms. Maria Theresa Medialdia, Director, Agricultural Development and Commercialization Department, Mekong Institute, welcomed the delegates to the workshop and emphasized the importance and urgency of applying CSA in agriculture in Vietnam in particular and Lower Mekong Countries in general.
Ms. Maria Theresa Medialdia, Director, Agricultural Development and Commercialization Department, Mekong Institute, welcomes all delegates.
Prof. Dr. Pham Van Cuong, Vice President of Vietnam National University of Agriculture, delivered the opening remarks. He mentioned that Vietnam's agriculture sector is increasingly threatened by the impacts of climate change, which poses significant risks to food security, livelihoods, and economic stability. To build resilience, Vietnam has adopted Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) practices, including crop diversification, integrated pest management, heat shock management, sustainable soil management, and smart water and irrigation management. However, scaling up CSA requires addressing knowledge gaps, capacity constraints, and limited access to finance. Therefore, sharing knowledge to raise awareness among stakeholders and assessing future prospects to enhance CSA application in Vietnam is essential.
Prof. Dr. Pham Van Cuong, Vice President of Vietnam National University of Agriculture, delivers the opening remarks
Attending the workshop, Mr. Tony Harman, Agricultural Counselor, Australian Embassy in Vietnam, highly appreciates Vietnam's achievements in promoting climate-smart agriculture. He highlighted the effectiveness and necessity of funding from the Australian Government's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) for CSA projects in the lower Mekong countries, including Vietnam.
Mr. Tony Harman, Agricultural Counselor, Australian Embassy in Vietnam, speaks at the workshop
Representing the Crop Production Department, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, Dr. Nguyen Van Vuong, Head of Food Crops Division, Crop Production Department pointed out the advantages and difficulties in applying CSA in Vietnam today, thereby creating opportunities and challenges for our agriculture in the context of climate change.
Dr. Nguyen Van Vuong, Head of Food Crops Division, Crop Production Department, MARD speaks at the workshop.
Dr. Vu Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Post-Harvest Technology, Faculty of Food Technology, VNUA, representing alumni of the CSA training program organized by MI under the sponsorship of DFAT, shared experiences, achievements, as well as challenges while successfully implementing post-science action plans on CSA. The sharing focused on raising awareness of stakeholders climate-smart technologies and practices in post-harvest handling and preservation of fresh fruits and vegetables in Vietnam.
Dr. Vu Thi Kim Oanh, Deputy Head of the Department of Post-Harvest Technology, Faculty of Food Technology, VNUA share stories at the workshop
Participating in the panel discussion, experts from FAO Vietnam, Institute of Policy and Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development; Hachi Vietnam High-Tech Joint Stock Company; Vietnam Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development together analyzed and evaluated Innovation for Sustainable Agriculture: Challenges, Opportunities and Stakeholder Understanding of CSA.
Experts at the panel discussion
During the discussion, participants had the opportunity to discuss and share knowledge and experiences on CSA application.
On the second day of the workshop, participants visited some CSA farms. Farm Wineco Tam Dao - Vinh Phuc was the first destination of the visit. Wineco's agricultural experts introduced the current production status and the application of smart agriculture in production to respond to climate change of the enterprise. The visitors visited high-tech models in the production of some types of sprouts, leafy vegetables, etc.
Field visit to Wineco Tam Dao - Vinh Phuc
The participants visited the hydroponic system for vegetables provided by Hachi Vietnam High-Tech Joint Stock Company in Phuc Tho, Hanoi.
The hydroponic system for vegetables
The Center for Excellence Research and Innovation at Vietnam National University of Agriculture was the last destination of the field visit. The participants visited Key Laboratory of Veterinary Biotechnology; Central Laboratory of Food Science and Technology and VNUA – Techmart, where a variety of VNUA’s scientific research and application products are displayed and introduced.
Introduction to the Center for Excellence Research and Innovation at VNUA
During the 2-day workshop, delegates exchanged and shared knowledge and experience on the application of smart agriculture to respond to climate change in Vietnam. At the same time, the field visit provided practical experiences to gain a deeper understanding of CSA and its application in actual production at stages in the agricultural and food supply chain. The workshop connected all stakeholders in the supply chain, and at the same time, the link among key stakeholders namely scientists, manufacturers, and traders.
Group photo
Key note speakers
Written by Dr. Vũ Thị Kim Oanh, Faculty of Food Science and Technology