IBSA Fund Annual Report- Viet Nam

Partners

Da Nang People’s Committee, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development; FAO Viet Nam

Overview

This project established a production hub of rice seeds that are improved and appropriate for the local conditions in Hoa Tien commune, Hoa Vang District. It contributed to enhancing agricultural yields, strengthened rice cultivation and enhanced the post-harvest processing methods.

Key Achievements

• Rice productivity at the project site increased to 6.63 tons per hectare, representing an increase of 0.78 ton per hectare. In addition, the cost of production materials was reduced significantly. A seed-testing laboratory was renovated. Twelve new rice-seed varieties were tested, and two successful varieties were identified. Organic fertilizers were introduced and substituted for chemical fertilizers. A marketing strategy for the new seed varieties was developed with the support of the public and private sectors. 
• 249 households were trained in seed production, irrigation, fertilization, integrated pest management, and impurity elimination and monitoring. A total of 100 households were engaged in the demonstration of new techniques in rice fertilization, plant protection and water saving for 6.2 hectares of paddy land.

Challenges and Lessons Learned

• In Viet Nam, the licensing process of a seed-testing lab is complex and time-consuming, requiring at least three months for necessary certification including ISO verification.
• Time and budget proved to be limited for marketing-strategy and trademark development.

Link of the Project to National Priorities

The project followed the Government of Viet Nam Socio-economic Development Plan for 2011–2015 for restructuring the agricultural sector towards agricultural value added and linking the crop-production subsector to larger-scale production. It contributed to reducing poverty and hunger and improved livelihoods.