RoK-funded project launch to strengthen sesame value chain

Building a sesame production–processing–consumption ecosystem

The "Improving Productivity and Strengthening the Sesame Value Chain in Viet Nam" project, funded by the Republic of Korea (RoK) government, will be implemented during 2025–2027 in Nghe An and Dong Thap provinces to provide comprehensive support for Viet Nam's sesame sector.

According to Mr. Pham Ngoc Mau, Deputy Director General of the Department of International Cooperation under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, sesame is a traditional crop with strong adaptability to drought conditions and climate change. However, sesame production remains fragmented, lacks value chain linkages, and has yet to generate value commensurate with its potential. Therefore, synchronous investment in the sesame value chain aims not only to improve productivity but also to reorganize production, develop processing industries, and expand export markets in a sustainable manner.

Mr. Mau said the project adopts a comprehensive and synchronous approach, from building demonstration models for sesame processing and seed propagation in the two provinces to transferring advanced technologies from the Republic of Korea and strengthening the capacity of management officials, cooperatives, and farmers. At the same time, the project will promote value chain linkages through public–private partnership models and expand opportunities to access international markets, particularly the RoK market.

"Notably, this ODA cooperation model goes beyond equipment support or technical training. It aims to establish a sustainable production–processing–consumption ecosystem capable of replication after the project concludes," Mr. Mau shared.

Mr. Kim Hyun Woo, Agricultural Attaché at the Embassy of the RoK in Viet Nam, expressed confidence that if successfully implemented, the project would not only contribute to the development of a new sesame industry in Viet Nam but also attract further investment from governments and private organizations in the future. Thus, the project could become a typical and meaningful ODA model in agricultural cooperation between the two countries.

Mr. Kim Hyun Woo said the selection of Nghe An and Dong Thap provinces for project implementation also carries significant strategic value. Nghe An is a typical sesame-producing region in Central Viet Nam, while Dong Thap represents the Southern region. Simultaneous implementation in two localities with different climatic and soil conditions is expected to create regional complementarities, thereby opening opportunities for more diverse and efficient production models.

According to the Plant Production and Protection Department, sesame is a short-day, nutrient-rich crop that is easy to cultivate and highly adaptable to drought and poor soils. In the context of climate change, it is considered a crop with strong advantages and has been prioritized in agricultural production restructuring.

Agricultural extension as a key bridge

According to Mr. Le Quoc Thanh, Director of the National Agricultural Extension Center, the launch of the project marks the beginning of a new journey to elevate the value of Vietnamese sesame. "This may seem like a small and simple journey, but we believe its outcomes will create widespread impact and provide new momentum for agricultural production," he said.

Mr. Thanh said that under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s new approach toward agriculture, farmers, and rural areas, the project is expected to become a typical model in the coming time. The National Agricultural Extension Center has been assigned as the focal agency for project implementation, with the goal of gradually positioning the sesame production chain in practice. Of which, the agricultural extension force serves as the bridge, remaining daily connected with farmers, cooperatives, and fields.

"What we hope for is not only measurable outcomes within the project framework but also spillover effects in production practice, enabling sesame to become a new livelihood for local people," Mr. Thanh emphasized.

As the Vietnamese focal agency, the National Agricultural Extension Center has committed to closely coordinating with RoK experts and local authorities to ensure effective project implementation while remaining ready to listen to and receive feedback from grassroots units in order to promptly make adjustments and address difficulties arising during implementation.

According to Mr. Le Quoc Thanh, one notable new aspect of the project is its market-oriented development mindset from the very beginning of production organization. While previous approaches mainly focused on production, the project now adopts a market and agricultural economy-oriented approach, linking production with brand building, trade promotion, and product consumption.

He expressed hope that the project would not only establish new sesame value chains and production zones in Nghe An and Dong Thap provinces but also create spillover effects for many other localities with similar ecological conditions. "The greatest outcome we hope to achieve is the establishment of a new sesame production value chain within agriculture, creating sustainable livelihoods for local people and opening a new development direction for Viet Nam’s sesame sector," Mr. Le Quoc Thanh emphasized.

Ms. Vo Thi Nhung, Deputy Director of the Nghe An Department of Agriculture and Environment, said sesame has long been cultivated by local farmers, with annual planting areas currently ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 hectares. However, production remains fragmented, economic efficiency is still low, and specialized production zones linked to processing and consumption along sustainable value chains have yet to be established. Therefore, Nghe An expects the project to become a driving force for expanding production, improving productivity, and gradually forming a sustainable sesame value chain.

Mr. Le Chi Thien, Deputy Director of the Dong Thap Department of Agriculture and Environment, said the province’s sesame cultivation area had sharply declined from more than 8,500 hectares in 2016 to fewer than 500 hectares in 2023 due to limitations in mechanization, seed quality, and value chain linkages. According to him, the project is expected to become a key solution for restructuring the sesame sector toward modernization and higher added value.

Dong Thap has committed to closely coordinating with implementing units and facilitating infrastructure, administrative procedures, and logistics to ensure project effectiveness, aiming to restore sesame as one of the province’s key export commodities.