Vietnam takes lead in plant health approach

On December 12, the FAO Vietnam Office's Department of Plant Protection concluded a training class for national lecturers on IPHM-Plant Health.

Mr. Bui Xuan Phong, director of the Plant Protection office (Department of Plant Protection), commented on the training course's results at the closing ceremony, which took place from December 8-12 featuring 37 students.

Apart from generalizing the TOT-IPM framework's contents, the students added new IPHM-compliant contents on the following 11 topics: one health, plant health; ecological agriculture and environmental protection; sustainable weed management; pesticide post-use packaging management; soil health and plant nutrition; healthy varieties; pesticides; fertilizer; production link chain; technical requirements for exporting Vietnamese agricultural products; IPHM communication.

Despite limited training time, a large quantity of information distribution, and various new issues, the technique focuses on delivering the primary topic, giving documentation, and updating materials, ensuring that the class effectively achieves the stated content and objectives.

Mr. Hoang Van Tu, FAO's representative in Vietnam, said that throughout the years, FAO and the Department of Plant Protection have worked to shape the country's approach to IPHM by inheriting, promoting, and elevating the program's level. Submission to the IPM.

Currently, as Vietnam develops as an exporter of several agricultural and food goods, producers must be more accountable to domestic and international customers. The representation of duty does not end with guaranteeing food safety and quality but extends to future generations in terms of conserving the living environment, land resources, plants, and biodiversity...

According to Mr. Tu, Vietnam is one of the leading countries in IPHM. Vietnam's training program framework, if successfully built and put into application, will become a pioneering program in the world.

On this premise, Mr. Tu anticipates that trainees will become the country's first IPHM lecturers upon completion of the training course. Future teachers will continue to train and create the next "bricks" for the Plant Health Vietnam home with excitement and responsibility.

Mr. Nguyen Quy Duong, Deputy Director of the Plant Protection Department, said that the training session assisted learners in determining how IPHM differs from IPM. However, since IPHM material and content are relatively new, students (future lecturers) must continue to study, update knowledge, documents, gather information, enhance qualifications, and acquire new skills in order to assure complete ability class TOT.

According to Mr. Duong, the integrated plant health management program is the first and most essential of the five key initiatives that the Plant Protection Department will conduct over the next decade. As a result, the students in this IPHM training session will be instrumental in generating papers, establishing training programs, and training teachers for TOT-IPHM courses and FFS classes for farmers.

At the conclusion ceremony, the head of the Department of Plant Protection and the representative of the FAO in Vietnam presented the trainees with certificates of participation in the course, which will serve as a foundation for them to carry out IPHM training and training activities in the future.