Sustainable agriculture development is the main strategy for the Government of Vietnam. The Vietnam Government have been supporting the national project “Strategy for Agriculture and Rural Development 2011-2020” as well as improvement of farmer livelihood through technical investment, production technologies and market orientation. At ASEAN level, Vietnam has been participating in implementing the ASEAN Integrated Food Security (AIFS) Framework which contribute to its national strategy in addressing sustainable rice production.

ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems (ASEAN SAS) collaborates with Vietnam Plant Protection Department to ensure sustainable rice cultivation. One of the project’s main focuses is Integrated Pest Management and Biological Control.

In collaboration with Croplife International, GIZ and Southern Regional Plant Protection Center, the courses on ‘training of trainers on Integrated Pest Management’ for local Sub Plant Protection Department staff were conducted in three provinces in Dong Thap, Hau Giang and Kien Giang.

These provinces contain large rice area at the Mekong Delta Region in Vietnam. The training course emphasizes on Integrated Pest Management practice under new tendency of rice cultivation at farmer and regional scale. It consists of 12 technical modules for Integrated Pest Management designed by experts from Croplife International, Southern Regional Plant Protection Center and Cuu Long Delta Rice Research Institute. The 12 technical modules presented various stages of rice growing from seedling, development, growing and ripening focusing on rice ecosystem analysis, farming technology, main pests and diseases management, pesticide application and spaying techniques, personal protective equipment and farmer’s decision making for spaying chemical.

By ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems Team, VietnamThe trainings were conducted at the Southern Regional Plant Protection Center, Long Dinh Village, Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province on 5-11 October and 9-13 November 2015 with an aim to update Integrated Pest Management technical knowledge and improve the facilitation skills of trainers. Thirty-nine trainers (23% women) selected by Sub Plant Protection Department provinces and districts attended the course. The participants learned to improve training tools, teaching methods as adult education and participatory and personal skills. When they go back to the project areas, they will carry out training courses for farmers at their provinces according to 12 technical modules. It is expected that trainers will transfer the new concepts to core farmers for their rice cultivation as well as project activities in the future. Furthermore, trainers will become a key resource for farmer training in the next period of the project.

By ASEAN Sustainable Agrifood Systems Team, VietnamThe trainings were conducted at the Southern Regional Plant Protection Center, Long Dinh Village, Chau Thanh District, Tien Giang Province on 5-11 October and 9-13 November 2015 with an aim to update Integrated Pest Management technical knowledge and improve the facilitation skills of trainers. Thirty-nine trainers (23% women) selected by Sub Plant Protection Department provinces and districts attended the course. The participants learned to improve training tools, teaching methods as adult education and participatory and personal skills. When they go back to the project areas, they will carry out training courses for farmers at their provinces according to 12 technical modules. It is expected that trainers will transfer the new concepts to core farmers for their rice cultivation as well as project activities in the future. Furthermore, trainers will become a key resource for farmer training in the next period of the project.