FarmVetCare app and biosecurity capacity development empower livestock farmers in Vietnam

More than 500 farmers in Lao Cai and Phu Tho (formerly known as Hoa Binh) provinces in northern Vietnam are improving livestock biosecurity with support from the FarmVetCare mobile app and on-farm interventions. The initiative is part of the ICT4Health project (2022-2026), a collaboration led by the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI) and the National Institute of Veterinary Research (NIVR) with provincial partners, aimed at strengthening Vietnam’s animal health surveillance system.

When FarmVetCare was launched in late 2023, it was designed to connect farmers, veterinarians, and authorities. It offered disease alerts, a platform for animal health record-keeping, and quick access to veterinary consulting services. 

Early consultations with farmers and veterinarians revealed that while the app was useful, they wanted clearer installation guidance, simpler features, and stronger links to livestock management practices. Based on this feedback, the project team upgraded the app and piloted the improved version directly in the field with farmers and local veterinarians.

From 13–14 and 25–26 August 2025, ILRI and NIVR, in collaboration with the Sub-Departments of Livestock and Animal Health (Sub-DAH) in Lao Cai and Phu Tho provinces, organized hands-on training sessions across twelve communes. Five hundred and eighteen farmers—57% of them women—along with 32 veterinarians and village animal health workers participated in the training.

The training sessions were structured with a mix of interactive activities and discussions. Farmers rotated through four “learning stations,” where they explored biosecurity practices, vaccination schemes, responsible antibiotic use, and the practical application of the FarmVetCare app in their farming context. To create a lively and engaging atmosphere, the agenda also incorporated ice-breaker games, group quizzes, and team competitions. Participants completed pre- and post-tests to assess their knowledge before starting and after finishing the training activities.

“Many farmers told us this was the first time they experienced training that was both practical and fun,” said Nguyen Van Tuan, Deputy Director of the Sub-DAH in Phu Tho. “By the end of the sessions, they felt more confident not only in using the app but also in applying simple biosecurity practices, understanding vaccination schemes, and using antibiotics more carefully on their farms.”

To translate knowledge into action, the ICT4Health project introduced farm-level intervention equipment to the surveyed farms. Across 12 training sessions, 259 out of 518 farmers (50%) won a drawing to receive personal protective equipment (such as gloves, boots, and clothing), a one-liter bottle of disinfectant, a disinfection tray, a sprayer, and a farm signage. For surveyed farmers who could not attend the training, additional ad-hoc sessions and provision of equipment will be organized in September 2025 to meet the study’s sample size requirements.

Through the combined approach of training, provision of intervention equipment, and use of the FarmVetCare app, the project will assess how training, technology, and equipment work together to strengthen disease prevention across the farmer groups.

“This is not only about training farmers,” explained Dao Duy Tung, senior researcher at NIVR. “It is also about generating and applying practical measures, knowledge, and evidence on what truly makes a difference in reducing animal disease risks.”

As of September 2025, the transfer of FarmVetCare from its Korean developer, AIDKorea, to a Vietnamese ICT company has been completed this September. This enables that the app will continue to be maintained, updated, and adapted to local needs after the project ends.

The ICT4Health project, funded by South Korea’s Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs (MAFRA), is built on the One Health approach, which recognizes the interconnection between people, animals, and the environment. By equipping farmers with digital tools, strengthening veterinary networks, and generating evidence on interventions, the project aims to reduce the risk of disease outbreaks in both animals and humans in Vietnam.

Read more about ICT4Health project:

Vietnam animal health experts and stakeholders review FarmVetCare app test results to better tailor it to farmers’ needs

Identifying priority animal and zoonotic diseases in northwest Vietnam for future action

Strengthening disease surveillance in Vietnam: Insights from a ‘FarmVetCare’ mobile application training