VAN News signs cooperation agreement with Tra Vinh University

On November 6, at Tra Vinh University, during the forum “Communication on Managing Coconut Tree Health in Vietnam to Meet Market-Oriented Production Requirements,” Viet Nam Agriculture and Nature News (VAN News) and Tra Vinh University signed a Memorandum of Understanding on media cooperation for the 2025–2028 period.

The agreement aims to strengthen the promotion of the university’s image, brand, faculty, students, and activities in research, training, and innovation, while spreading positive values related to agriculture, the environment, and sustainable development.

According to the agreement, both parties will collaborate on producing journalistic and multimedia content (print, online, video, talk shows, special features, etc.), and co-organize forums, workshops, and dialogues on agriculture, environment, entrepreneurship, digital transformation, and sustainable development. VAN News will also provide media and journalism training, as well as career orientation for Tra Vinh University students.

Tra Vinh University is a public higher-education institution with an application-oriented model, pioneering in training, scientific research, and community service. The university focuses on developing key sectors such as economics, technology, agriculture, and biotechnology following green and circular economy principles, while fostering international cooperation, innovation, and technology transfer. Within this framework, the Mekong Delta Coconut Institute (under Tra Vinh University) serves as a central hub for research, education, and technology transfer in the coconut value chain, contributing to sustainable livelihoods for local farming communities.

Tra Vinh University has been ranked among the Top 100 most innovative universities with social impact by the WURI Ranking for six consecutive years. In 2025, it placed 29th among 400 universities, up 13 positions from 2024. The university has also been consistently listed among the Top 200 green and sustainable campuses in the UI GreenMetric Ranking and has received the Outstanding Digital Transformation Award for three consecutive years (2022–2024). Many of its programs have achieved national and international accreditations, including AUN, FIBAA, and ABET.

Assoc. Prof. Dr. Nguyen Minh Hoa, President of Tra Vinh University, stated that this collaboration with VAN News will help spread the university’s core values and connect education and applied research more closely with real-world production, life, and community development.

VAN News, the official press agency under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, has a professional team of journalists and editors with a broad information network. The outlet has become a vital bridge linking policymakers, scientists, businesses, and farmers.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thang, Head of the Mekong Delta Representative Office, affirmed that both parties will launch a series of in-depth communication programs to create wide social impact, particularly in the areas of green agriculture, sustainable education, and safe living environments.

At the forum, Mr. Chau Huu Tri, Deputy Director of the Vinh Long Agricultural Extension Center, emphasized that the coconut tree, recognized as a national key crop, brings both economic and ecological value, with more than 183 enterprises deeply engaged in its value chain.

However, he noted that the connection among the “four stakeholders”, the State, scientists, academia, and farmers, remains weak. He called for stronger shared responsibility and mutual risk-sharing mechanisms among all parties, along with a clear legal framework to ensure accountability in cooperation.

Reflecting on 15 years of coconut industry development in Ben Tre and Vinh Long, Mr. Tri acknowledged the sector’s significant progress but said it has yet to fully integrate its multiple values. “We should be proud that Viet Nam now masters 90% of coconut processing technologies. What matters most is continuous innovation, creating differentiation, and maximizing multi-value potential, otherwise, we risk falling behind,” he stressed.

He proposed that central authorities develop more specific policies for the coconut industry, including a comprehensive development plan. In particular, he noted that the country’s 24,000 hectares of organic coconut need future recertification, accompanied by practical assessments of implementation challenges.

Sharing this view, Mr. Nguyen Quy Duong, Deputy Director of the Plant Production and Protection Department, identified seed production as a key area of opportunity, as more countries seek to import Vietnamese coconut varieties. He suggested that Vietnam not only export tangible products but also pursue “intangible” and “sky-high” values such as coconut-based ecotourism and carbon credits, leveraging the tree’s exceptional capacity for CO₂ absorption.