As part of the collaboration between Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), the Consultative Group for International Agricultural Research (CGIAR), the University of California, Davis (UCD), and the University of London, UK, on the afternoon of February 27, 2025, the Economic Linkages and Market Development Research Group, Faculty of Economics and Management, VNUA, invited experts from the CGIAR network to exchange and discuss research results. The meeting was attended by faculty members of the Faculty of Economics and Management, researchers, and students in the faculty.

International scientists and participants at the meeting
Photo: Pham Thi To Dieu – VNUA

At the meeting, Associate Professor Dr. Nguyen Thi Duong Nga introduced the content, objectives, and a short profile of international experts. The CGIAR network experts presented their work and research findings related to the impact evaluation of agricultural production interventions among farming households in India, along with the potential for development and application in Vietnamese agriculture and other countries worldwide.

Following this, Professor Sujata Visaria from the University of London (UK) presented research findings from an intervention project on microcredit provision for farmers in Bihar, India, titled "Decentralized Targeting of Agricultural Credit Programs: Private versus Political Intermediaries". This study was published in the Journal of the European Economic Association in 2024 (DOI: https://doi.org/10.1093/jeea/jvae018).

According to the research findings, farmers who accessed loans through private intermediaries achieved better outcomes compared to those who borrowed through politically affiliated intermediaries (recommended by the government). This can be attributed to several factors, including the stronger economic connections of private intermediaries, who tend to select borrowers with lower risks of loan default. As a result, loans are often allocated to more productive farmers. In contrast, politically affiliated intermediaries tend to have a political rather than economic orientation, leading to less effective support for borrowers.

During the discussion on methodology and findings, participants agreed that the selection of study field was appropriate and that the results were quite consistent with rural realities in many developing countries, including Vietnam.

Professor Sujata Visaria (Uni. of London) presents research findings

Photo: Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang - VNUA

Professor Travis Lybbert from the University of California, Davis (USA) presented research findings from an intervention project in India titled "Striving to Revive Pulses in India with Extension, Input Subsidies, and Output Price Supports". This study was published in the American Journal of Agricultural Economics (DOI: 10.1111/ajae.12435).

The production of certain traditional pulses in India has significantly declined, partly due to the impact of the Green Revolution. Farmers have shifted to cultivating higher-yield crops. The project aimed to encourage farmers to expand pulse production through agricultural extension services, input subsidies, and output price support. However, the results indicated that these short-term interventions did not establish a new long-term equilibrium leading to higher pulse production. Thus, government interventions should carefully consider market dynamics and the opportunity costs of agricultural production.

Professor Travis Lybbert (UCD) presents his research findings
Photo: Nguyen Thi Huyen Trang - VNUA

During the discussion, participants highlighted that farmers are the key decision-makers in agriculture, optimizing their income based on production choices. Therefore, they calculate and make decisions considering opportunity costs. The government should design longer-term interventions that take market trends into account.

Nguyen Thi Duong Nga, Nguyen Duy Linh
The Economic Linkages and Market Development Research Group