Ireland's experience helps strengthen Vietnam's food system

The visit follows the recent signing of a Memorandum of Understanding on Food System Transformation between Vietnam and Ireland. This agreement opens up opportunities for cooperation in enhancing food safety, preventing animal diseases, and developing sustainable livestock systems. Ireland’s expertise is expected to strengthen Vietnam’s food system, improve the quality of agricultural products, and contribute to environmental protection in the near future.

Airfield Estate is renowned as a sustainable farm in Ireland. Spanning 38 acres (about 15 hectares), it not only produces dairy, vegetables, and meat, but also serves as an eco-tourism destination where visitors can learn about the history and practices of sustainable agriculture and community education.

Airfield Estate is particularly noted for its use of organic farming methods and soil conservation practices, including minimal tillage, using plant residues as soil cover, planting legumes, and applying compost to enrich soil nutrients. The farm emphasizes a closed-loop agricultural model, aiming to minimize external inputs and enhance the sustainability of its farming system.

During his visit, Minister Le Minh Hoan expressed a keen interest in soil conservation techniques. He remarked, "Soil conservation is the foundation of sustainable agriculture." The Minister highlighted the need for Vietnam to learn from Ireland’s advanced models in resource protection and sustainable development, especially in the face of growing climate change challenges.

Ms. Caitlin Breen, a representative from Airfield Estate, discussed Ireland's government support policies for small-scale farms with Minister Hoan. She expressed gratitude for his praise of Ireland’s management model, particularly the integration of agriculture, tourism, and sustainable education. Ms. Breen emphasized that the Irish government has made substantial investments in financial and technical support programs for small farms, ensuring circularity and sustainability in production.

Also in attendance were three distinguished alumni from the Vietnam National University of Agriculture (VNUA), who received scholarships under the Ireland-Vietnam Agri-Food Partnership Programme (IVAP) and are currently pursuing their Master’s degrees at the University of Galway, Ireland. These students had the chance to observe the advanced agricultural practices at Airfield Estate, offering them practical and diverse insights into sustainable agriculture. Their experiences will be instrumental in contributing to Vietnam's agricultural transformation once they return home.

Minister Le Minh Hoan’s visit not only strengthened agricultural cooperation between Vietnam and Ireland but also provided an opportunity for both countries to exchange knowledge and develop sustainable agricultural solutions. This is particularly significant as Vietnam strives to transform its food systems and enhance sustainability.

Drawing from Ireland's valuable experience, Minister Hoan expressed confidence that Vietnam will be able to adopt advanced models that promote sustainable agriculture and protect natural resources for future generations.

The Vietnamese Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development and the Irish Department of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine have also agreed on a strategy to strengthen the capacity of agricultural cooperatives. This plan aims to foster green, safe, climate-resilient, and low-carbon agricultural practices. The signing of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) will catalyze to accelerate efforts in enhancing food safety, advancing digital transformation, and improving biosecurity measures in the livestock sector.

On November 3, 2014, the two countries signed the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation between the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food, and the Marine of Ireland on Cooperation in the Agricultural Sector.” This agreement focuses on strengthening cooperation in training, exchanging experts and students, and promoting agricultural development. The two sides identified four key areas for future collaboration: training in modern agricultural management, sharing experiences in developing organic agriculture, establishing a traceable system for managing safe agricultural products, and promoting cooperation in cattle breeding.

Currently, 480 Vietnamese enterprises are licensed to export seafood to the EU, including Ireland. However, seafood exports to the Irish market have been facing challenges due to the European Union's "yellow card" issued to Vietnam's seafood exploitation and fishing industry on October 23, 2017. This sanction poses significant obstacles for Vietnamese seafood exports, as it reflects concerns about illegal, unreported, and unregulated (IUU) fishing practices.