Farmers benefiting from public-private partnership solutions

Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development Le Quoc Doanh delivering the opening speech at the general meeting and 10th anniversary of the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam

The public-private partnership (PPP) model was institutionalised under the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PSAV). The PSAV was established by the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) in 2010 under the "New Vision for Agriculture 2020" approach to the 20-20-20 objective, which is 20 per cent increase in productivity, 20 per cent reduction in poverty, and 20 per cent reduction in emissions.

Le Quoc Doanh, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development, highlighted the important role of PPP investment in promoting Vietnam’s agricultural sector to become more sustainable and effective. After 10 years of establishment, PPP Task Forces under Vietnam’s Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture (PSAV) have brought encouraging results, which includes developing many sustainable and environmentally-friendly models while increasing farmers' income.

At the same time, the PSAV has also created a value chain from production to deep processing and export, contributing to improving the competitiveness of agricultural products.

Public-private partnership dialogue promoting sustainable agricultural development in the context of the new normal and free trade agreements

Up to now, the PSAV boasts eight PPP Task Forces for coffee, tea, fruit and vegetables, fisheries, rice, spices, livestock, and agro-chemicals. They have been formed and operated with the participation of 120 organisations including government agencies, companies, industry associations, research institutes, and international and non-governmental groups.

Among them, Bayer is now a recognised trendsetter in the field of seeds and crop protection in Vietnam. As part of the group’s strategy, Bayer is committed to supporting Vietnamese farmers with sustainable farming practices.

The company in collaboration with the MARD and other organisations have implemented the initiative to spur on the development of responsible farming projects. It is proving a driving force for sustainability among the 80,000 smallholder farmers in the country during what has been a trying year.

Christoph Meinert, representative of Bayer’s Vietnam Board of Management, discussed the PPP Taskforce with PSAV members

During the COVID-19 pandemic, farmers have received a great range of support like input materials and training sessions to apply standard procedures to achieve high quality and meet import demand. Their post-harvest products are also purchased, which helps them to settle down and improve income during the tough time. This has contributed to stabilising social order and stimulating sustainable economic growth in Vietnam.

With all of the achievements, the MARD has organised the general meeting and the 10th anniversary of the PSAV establishment titled "Enhancing position of agricultural products of Vietnam at international markets".

The event saw the participation of over 100-120 delegates, including leaders of PPP Task Forces; CEOs of multinational corporations; relevant MARD agencies; local and foreign associations; some provinces with exemplary PPP projects; PSAV team members; embassies of Australia, Canada, the Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Denmark, the United States; representatives of relevant ministries, departments, and branches; other domestic and international organisations, and press agencies.

In the framework of the conference, the speakers not only shared comments on the prospects of PPP in agriculture in the new normal post-COVID-19 context and the free trade agreements. In addition, the representatives from the public-private sector also discussed mechanisms and policies to support the replication of PPP initiatives to promote sustainable agricultural development in Vietnam to catch up with modern trends in the new context.

The general meeting and the 10th anniversary of the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam