The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and Vietnam's Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) have renewed their partnership, with a focus on Vietnam-led priorities. The agreement sets the agenda for future research targeting digital and green growth in agriculture.
A new four-year bilateral research project valued at US$1.36 million will focus on digital monitoring of VietGAP compliance in smallholder fruit value chains in northwest Vietnam. The project is co-led by Australia's Applied Horticulture Research and Vietnam's Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI).
Researchers from FAVRI, the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute, and Vietnam National University of Agriculture are working with farmers in northwest Vietnam to strengthen market access and expand the international profile of Vietnamese fruit. The work forms part of ACIAR's US$12.07 million Vietnam portfolio for the next five years.
Deputy Minister of MoAE Tran Thanh Nam stated, "We wish to collaborate closely with ACIAR to achieve Vietnam's goals of green growth, digitalisation, and innovation in the agriculture sector, leveraging both countries' strengths."
ACIAR CEO Prof. Wendy Umberger said, "ACIAR has been a proud partner of Vietnamese farmers for over 30 years. We are pleased to see the integration of agriculture and the environment, which will support Vietnam in addressing pressing challenges through a more comprehensive approach. ACIAR is committed to helping Vietnam develop country-led initiatives, from identifying research needs to developing new projects."
The dialogue also reinforced bilateral links with Vietnam's Ministry of Education and Training and Ministry of Science and Technology. Participants included representatives from Vietnam and Australia with expertise in science, policy, human resource development, and trade.
The agreement aligns with a memorandum of understanding signed last year between ACIAR and Vietnam's former Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. Both parties emphasised building a partnership based on trust, shared accountability, and mutual benefits.
ACIAR is the Australian government's agricultural research-for-development agency within the national aid programme. Its role is to deliver knowledge and technology supporting sustainable and productive farming systems, as well as resilient food systems for developing countries and Australia.
Since 1993, ACIAR has worked in Vietnam on more than 260 projects worth around US$120 million, focusing on sustainable agriculture and livelihood improvement. In addition, ACIAR has awarded more than 120 scholarships to Vietnamese scientists to strengthen research and leadership capacity.
Source: Vietnam Investment Review
