A public-private partnership to advance Vietnam's food system

C.P. Group, C.P. Vietnam Livestock Joint Stock Company, and the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam (PSAV) signed the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) "Public-Private Partnership to Promote the Transformation of the Food System Towards Transparency, Responsibility, and Sustainability in Vietnam" at the MARD headquarters.

Dr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director of the International Cooperation Department (MARD), noted that public-private partnerships are a crucial mechanism to advance sustainable agricultural transformation in Vietnam. According to Vietnam’s commitment at the 2021 United Nations Summit, the country will transform its food system towards transparency, responsibility, and sustainability.

On March 28, 2023, the National Action Plan for Transforming Vietnam’s Food System towards transparency, responsibility, and sustainability by 2030 was approved. Throughout this process, the agricultural sector has actively collaborated with the private sector, including C.P. Group. Besides participating in sustainable value chain development, the group has been engaged in community development and the preservation of national parks in Vietnam.

The signing of this Memorandum of Understanding is a strategic measure to formalize the partnership between the two parties in order to collaboratively transform Vietnam's agricultural system.

Mr. Adirek Sripratak, Senior Vice President of C.P. Group and Chairman of CPF Group, underscored C.P. Group's dedication to consistently striving for harmonious outcomes and advantages for the nation, the Vietnamese populace, and the business in a sustainable path.

Mr. Montri Suwanposri, Vice President of C.P. Vietnam, emphasized: "Promoting sustainable agriculture, increasing supply chain value, enhancing agricultural products, improving farmers’ livelihoods, reducing emissions, and addressing climate change and challenges in agricultural production are no longer trends but responsibilities that all parties must realize through specific goals."

Last February, Minister Le Minh Hoan introduced the Red-crowned Crane Conservation Project during a visit to the C.P. Group in Thailand. This project is dedicated to the preservation of this sacred, uncommon species, which includes the Eastern Sarus Crane populations in Thailand and Vietnam.

Dong Thap Province and the Zoological Park Organization of Thailand (ZPOT) have implemented a conservation and development initiative for the Red-crowned Crane, which has yielded favorable outcomes. Over the past five years, the Red-crowned Crane Conservation Project has received support from C.P. Group and C.P. Vietnam in the form of communication, translation, logistics, and financial resources.

Mr. Montri expressed optimism that the Red-crowned Crane conservation and development initiative in Vietnam will be effective and that pairs of Red-crowned Cranes from Korat Zoo will be transferred to Tram Chim National Park in Dong Thap Province in a short time.

Minister Le Minh Hoan stated during the signing ceremony that public-private partnerships (PPP) are a critical strategy that MARD has consistently pursued in order to generate new driving forces for the industry. The Minister held C.P. Vietnam in high regard for its participation in the PPP Working Group on Livestock, particularly its assistance in the development of the capacity of farmers and other stakeholders in the livestock value chain. The MoU establishes a lengthy pathway for the Ministry and Dong Thap Province, as per the chief of MARD.

The Minister observed that the world is undergoing rapid change, necessitating that individuals and enterprises expand in order to exchange knowledge and collaborate. He aspired that the cooperation MoU would establish a firm foundation for development between Vietnam and Thailand by fostering open thinking, collaboration, and the adoption of new values, thereby leveraging the strengths of both nations.

The promotion of OCOP products is a noteworthy aspect of the MoU. C.P. Group will collaborate with PSAV to facilitate the development of human resources for rural development through the OTOP (Thailand)/OCOP (Vietnam) programs, promote trade exchanges and cooperation at the national and regional levels between OTOP and OCOP, and participate in pilot projects by establishing OCOP learning centers and the Tam Nong OCOP Market, which are linked with community tourism. The project will be particularly focused on promoting young members to ensure its sustainability. C.P. Group has extensive experience in agriculture and a broad distribution network.

Specifically, both parties will collaborate to create, disseminate, and broaden initiatives and coordinate communication activities regarding the public-private partnership in order to advance the transformation of the agricultural system toward sustainability, responsibility, and transparency.