The north-western provinces of Vietnam are characterised by upland agricultural systems, relatively high levels of poverty and high ethnic diversity. Although many large donor organisations are focusing on these poorer provinces with community-based development projects, so far only limited research results suited to the region's agroecological and socioeconomic conditions are available to provide farmers with options for improved practices. This study applied a systems approach and employed participatory methods in order to: (1) describe the capacity and previous efforts of Vietnamese and Australian R&D institutions and individuals towards the planning and implementation of research, targeting the specific needs of rural upland communities; (2) identify constraints and R&D needs and opportunities related to agricultural livelihood systems in rural upland communities; (3) develop a framework for an agricultural systems research program targeting the needs of rural upland communities in north-western Vietnam. The outcomes are intended to assist planning for improvement of the agricultural sector, including enterprise diversity, crop and livestock production systems, and marketing mechanisms for these remote, culturally diverse communities in the north-western region.
A general profiling of agricultural research and development (R&D) priorities and activities was conducted in all six provinces in the north-western part of Vietnam (Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai, Dien Bien, Son La and Hoa Binh), while detailed information on agricultural R&D needs and opportunities was collected at provincial, district, commune and village level only in Lai Chau, Lao Cai, Yen Bai provinces.
The north-western provinces, characterised by mountainous landscapes and high ethnic diversity, have lagged in agricultural development in comparison with the lowland areas in the country. Recent expansion of infrastructure has opened opportunities for farming communities to access markets and to convert their agricultural enterprises from subsistence-based to a market orientation. Main enterprises in highlands farming systems include animal husbandry, maize and upland rice production and perennial crops (tea, fruit); opportunities exist for off-season vegetables, thanks to favourable climatic conditions. Degrading soils and soil erosion resulting from inappropriate land management practices are a concern requiring immediate attention.
The main constraint faced in livestock management is the availability of feed of adequate quality and in sufficient quantity, particularly during the winter season, causing poor health of animals and even death under severe climatic conditions. Veterinary services are limited outside the district capitals. Crop management is mainly based on traditional practices and farmers have limited access to agricultural inputs, technologies and information due to remoteness and communication barriers. Moreover, agricultural technologies developed at research centres are often not suitable as they primarily target lowland agricultural systems and few suitable technologies for highland agriculture are available.
Specifically, farmers and local officers expressed the need for locally adapted varieties of both seasonal food crops and perennial cash crops such as tea and fruit, suitable crop and pest management practices tailored to agroecological and socioeconomic conditions, and postharvest technologies to add value to the produce for marketing purposes.
Good research capacity exists in Vietnam, with a range of commodity and disciplinary institutes and the recent establishment of the regional agriculture and forestry sciences institutes. In the case of the north-western region, the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Sciences Institute (NOMAFSI) has built up a good track record of integrated research activities in the north-western provinces. While the agricultural extension system is established in each of the provinces, the number of field staff to cover large and remote areas is limited. Additionally, extension officers are typically of Kinh origin and seldom speak the local languages of the ethnic minority groups. Training of extension officers and application of extension approaches have not yet adequately tackled socio-cultural barriers that form a constraint in reaching the majority or rural communities in the north-western highlands.
In conclusion, it is recommended that a future project consist of the following components:
management of sloping lands to prevent erosion and enhance soil fertility
market studies to identify opportunities for income generation from agricultural produce
development of improved livestock management practices, particularly in the area of feed availability (especially in winter) and quality
development of best practices for the cultivation of food and cash crops, to be identified based on market studies
development of postharvest technologies to add value to agricultural produce, provided a market has been identified
development of effective communication and collaboration models for research planning, implementation, dissemination and evaluation, in order to achieve practice change at all levels (researchers, extension officers, community leaders and farmers).
Links:
[1] http://www.aciar.gov.au/country/Vietnam
[2] http://www.aciar.gov.au/programarea/Crop Protection
[3] http://www.aciar.gov.au/Pacific Crops