The collaboration between Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) and Watanabe Pipe Co. Ltd., Japan in hi-tech agricultural development

On February 27^th, 2019, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, VNUA President warmly welcomed Watanabe Pipe Vietnam Ltd. Company. The meeting received the attendance of Prof. Dr. Tran Duc Vien, Chairman of Board of Trustees; leaders of Center for Agricultural Technology Incubation, Science and Technology Office, Infrastructure & Facility Management and Investment Office and project members of Center for Hi-tech Agriculture, VNUA.

Watanabe Pipe Vietnam Ltd. Company is a subsidiary of Watanabe Pipe Japan Ltd. Co., a Japanese company founded in 1953 with capital of 10 billion Yen (91 million USD) and 4,680 employees. Its revenue in 2018 reached 272 billion Yen (2.5 billion USD). Watanabe Pipe Vietnam Ltd. Company was established in April, 2012 with the headquarter at the Pho Noi A Industrial Park, Van Lam, Hung Yen province. The company is well-known for its advanced Japanese greenhouse.

At the meeting, the two parties had a discussion on the construction of greenhouse and net house for hi-tech agricultural training, research and transfer activities in VNUA. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, VNUA President proposed three collaborative contents between the two parties as follows: (1) VNUA shall collaborate with Watanabe Vietnam Ltd. Company to develop the greenhouse and net house for research, demonstration and training to be suitable for different types of production; (2) VNUA shall cooperate with the company to develop human resources in operating greenhouse and net house systems and transferring technology; (3) VNUA and this company shall collaborate in research to develop the new technological products and transfer the solution to improve the product quality and economic efficiency in production for farmers.

Watanabe Pipe Ltd. Company totally agreed with VNUA President’s proposals and they will assign experts and resources to develop the hi-tech agricultural greenhouse and net house project as well as exchange and training the technicians in this field.

At the end of the meeting, Prof. Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan, VNUA President expressed her sincere thanks to Watanabe Pipe Vietnam Ltd. Co. for the working visit with useful information and discussion. Hopefully, after this visit, Watanabe Pipe Vietnam and VNUA will continuously discuss and exchange research and training as well as introduce Japanese greenhouse and net house technologies in Vietnam. The two parties agreed to assign a technical group developing a feasible option to implement the project in the near future.