Exploring opportunities for inclusive agricultural development in northwest Vietnam

Researchers working with the ‘Market-based approaches to improving the safety of pork in Vietnam’ or SafePORK project attended a North-West Symposium hosted by the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) on 23-24 November 2017 in Hanoi.

The two-day research-for-development symposium discussed opportunities for inclusive agricultural development in the northwest region of Vietnam.

SafePORK is funded by ACIAR and coordinated by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) with a duration of four and a half years starting in October 2017. Using a multi-disciplinary approach, the project brings together expertise in smallholder pig systems, risk analysis, socio-economics, value chain assessment, veterinary epidemiology, and public health. The core partners are the Hanoi University of Public Health (HUPH), Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA) and Vietnam National Institute of Animal Science (NIAS).

Craig Chittick, Australian Ambassador in Vietnam speaks at the opening session (photo credit: ACIAR).

‘Cooperation in agriculture has been a very important part of Australia’s relationship with Vietnam throughout the 44 years of diplomatic links between our two countries’, said the Australian Ambassador to Vietnam, Craig Chittick. ‘I have had the pleasure of visiting several ACIAR projects in northwest region and I have been impressed by what I have seen.’

According to Vietnam’s agriculture and rural development’s vice minister Le Quoc Doanh, agricultural production in the northwest is yet to fully reach its potential. He said research carried out by projects such as SafePORK can help connect farmers increase production, access more profitable markets and increase their incomes while protecting the natural land and water resources of the region.

The symposium explored key opportunities, learnings, insights and implications from research programs in northwest Vietnam particularly in relation to regional markets and trade, sustainable farming systems, safe food value-chains, and inclusive and prosperous communities.

SafePORK team in a creative presentation (photo credit: ACIAR).

The meeting was attended by representatives from the government, donors, research organizations and agribusiness. SafePORK researchers were recognized for the ‘best poster’ and they received a first prize in a creative presentation contest at the event.