Application of science and advanced technology for safe and smart agriculture

On July 11 afternoon, at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD), the Plant Protection Department (PPD) and CropLife Asia (CLA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate in implementing the “Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework” (SPMF), with the witness of Vice Minister – Dr. Hoang Trung of MARD, Dr. Tan Siang Hee – Executive Director of CropLife Asia, Board of Directors of CropLife Asia and CropLife Vietnam.

Under the MOU, CropLife will leverage industry efforts to work with relevant stakeholders in Vietnam to establish a framework for using pesticides sustainably and advance innovation to support smallholder farmers in Vietnam. 

Deputy Minister Hoang Trung highly appreciates CropLife Vietnam’s role and contribution over the past ten years in the framework of the Partnership Program for Sustainable Agriculture Development in Vietnam (PSAV). 

As Co-Chairman of the Working Group on Agrochemicals, CropLife Vietnam has been collaborating with the PPD to train, support, and inform Vietnamese farmers.

“Cropline Asia to empower and inform Vietnamese farmers to use pesticides and plant varieties effectively contributes to promoting the transformation of agricultural and food systems towards sustainability, which align with MARD’s goals and orientations towards improving management efficiency for a safe, transparent, and sustainable food system in Vietnam,” the Deputy Minister emphasizes.

CropLife Asia and PPD jointly organized a workshop for Asian farmers in 2022 to apply drones in spraying pesticides, thereby improving skills, techniques, and practical knowledge in the field. Drone is a new device, which applies scientific and technological advances to farming, which is highly suggested by MARD for its effectiveness.

Representing CLA, Executive Director Tan Siang Hee expresses his commitment to PSAV in farming, continuing to help Vietnamese agricultural products penetrate the global market, and ensuring sustainable production per international standards.

Significantly, Mr. Tan Siang Hee acknowledges that the spraying of pesticides by drones has transformed the Mekong Delta agricultural production. This new technology helps save water and protect farmers’ health, reducing direct exposure to pesticides.

The Executive Director of CLA emphasizes, “We have grown so much. We need to not only work collectively and help farmers to compete at an international pace but also gain public trust and promote innovative regulations, aiming towards green and sustainable agricultural transformation.”

In addition, Mr. Alexander Berkovskiy, CLA president, states: “The men and women who produce the crops are the food heroes making food security and sustainability possible. Our role is to provide them with access to the latest innovations in their toolbox to do that.”

Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan, Director General of the International Cooperation Department (MARD), recognizes the central and active role of CropLife Vietnam in public-private partnership on sustainable agricultural development as well as the association’s professional support and technical training for farmers.

Besides, he highly commands the upcoming project implemented by the PPD and CLA: “With resources and support fund of about 1.6 million USD within five years, the project’s goal is to strengthen the management capacity and policies, transform the system, protect human health and the environment.”

Mr. Nguyen Do Anh Tuan hopes that the CLA will continue to accompany and support the implementation of long-term strategies, helping farmers access scientific solutions, thereby promoting green growth, improving crop yields, and creating high-quality agricultural products while minimizing negative impacts on the environment.

Representing PPD, Deputy Director Huynh Tan Dat believes that the joint project with the CLA will help improve the industry’s capacity, ensuring the six core goals of MARD’s sustainable development strategy. These goals include transferring development techniques; providing farmers with field knowledge; improving management capacity; promoting digital transformation; implementing policies in correspondence with the global economy; and building a core team of experts.

The Sustainable Pesticide Management Framework (SPMF) is a holistic, comprehensive, and long-term program for enabling sustainable food systems. This program supports the Vietnamese Government and MARD in their transition to more sustainable food and agriculture systems that protect human health, the environment, and crop production.