Vietnam and ACIAR collaborate to promote sustainable agricultural development

The 2024 Partnership Dialouge was held by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) and the Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) in the afternoon of May 7. The purpose of the meeting was to inform partners and relevant parties in Vietnam about the current state of the relationship, discuss areas of focus, and suggest future directions for research collaboration between Australia and Vietnam.

Furthermore, it offered chances to investigate the priorities for research projects, research training, and capacity building in scientific research. Mr. Phung Duc Tien the Deputy Minister of MARD, expressed the intention of MARD to establish a strong partnership with ACIAR in order to strategically enhance the research capabilities in the field of agriculture.

The collaborations between the two parties are intended to help Vietnam realize its objectives of promoting environmentally friendly economic growth, fostering a diverse and profitable agricultural industry, and ensuring the long-term well-being of its population. The Australian Ambassador to Vietnam Andrew Goledzinowski, stated that Vietnam and Australia have established a comprehensive strategic partnership.

ACIAR, an Australian agricultural organization, remains crucial in supporting Vietnam's agricultural and rural development goals through productive research partnership. The ambassador underscored that this collaboration entails not only a linkage between the benefactor and the beneficiary, but also entails involvement from affiliated entities and partners who mutually exchange expertise. This collaboration serves as an example to the unique partnership between ACIAR and Vietnam.

"The recent memorandum of cooperation, signed in March 2024 between ACIAR and MARD, along with the partnership meeting, represent important achievements in our efforts to enhance the quality of life for individuals and tackle issues within the food system," stated Wendy Umberger, CEO of ACIAR.

Ms. Wendy stressed the need of maintaining agricultural cooperation, improving bilateral agricultural trade and investment as crucial elements for the future economic growth of both nations. ACIAR will continue to strengthen agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Australia by collaborating on research projects, utilizing long-term research programs and partner networks. The aim is to promote the prosperity of Vietnam's industrial sectors and rural livelihoods, as well as foster integration and equality.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy, the Director of the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development, emphasized various project initiatives that have had significant positive effects. These include the advancement of vegetable production, beef cattle farming, agroforestry, and hillside conservation in the Northwest region. Additionally, efforts have been made to select and develop resin and acacia plantation forests, which have contributed to the establishment of a substantial 2.5 million hectares of planted forests. Furthermore, the department has been involved in the development of oyster farming in coastal provinces.

In the near future, the Department of Science, Technology, and Environment suggests that both parties focus on specific matters. These include conducting research on the selection and enhancement of major crop varieties that can withstand drought and salinity, conserving and developing native and distinctive crop varieties, managing the value chain, implementing new agricultural technologies, improving major livestock breeds, advancing aquaculture feed and marine farming technology, developing agroforestry systems, and creating decision support tools for carbon credit exchange and offset mechanisms.

Ms. Wendy Umberger, who has served as the CEO of ACIAR for 31 years, acknowledged the significant influence of ACIAR's efforts in Vietnam. ACIAR's independent project analysis reveals that each AUD spent by ACIAR yields a value of 90 AUD for small farmers in Vietnam.

"We are interested in learning about the Vietnamese government's priorities in order to gain insight into Australia's relative strengths and determine how we can provide assistance. We can offer Vietnam advanced systems, science, and technology to assist in resolving agricultural challenges," Ms. Wendy declared.