Innovation workshop in green dragon fruit value chain

BTO-On November 17, the Provincial Agricultural Extension Center organized a workshop on “Public-private partnership on innovation and green investment of the private sector enhanced in the green dragon fruit value chain.” Attending the workshop were leaders of a number of relevant departments, sectors, and localities, representatives of the United Nations Development Program UNDP and enterprises and cooperatives participating in the project.

Speaking at the workshop, Mr. Phan Van Tan - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development said that on January 12, 2022, the People's Committee of Binh Thuan province decided to approve aid from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) to implement the project "Promoting private participation in low-carbon investment and climate change response of the agricultural sector in implementing Vietnam's nationally determined contributions (NDC)" in Bac Binh, Ham Thuan Bac and Ham Thuan Nam districts.

*Mr. Phan Van Tan - Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development spoke at the workshop*

The project has four main activities, including promoting the development and improvement of the quality of dragon fruit chain linkages towards low carbon emissions, sustainability and resilience to climate risks; promoting and developing the brand of dragon fruit products in Binh Thuan province; cooperating in promoting digital transformation in the management and production of dragon fruit; calling for green finance and financial incentives to invest in environmentally friendly production and processing technologies with low carbon emissions. Up to now, the project has supported LED bulbs, irrigation systems; GlobalGAP certification... to help people in the project improve productivity, competitiveness, and form a green supply chain. At the same time, contributing to climate change adaptation production. Changing the mindset, awareness, and moving towards positive actions of a part of producers inside and outside the project on the issue of climate change.

Discussing at the workshop, delegates assessed that the project has initially implemented well the policy of promoting digital transformation in agriculture. In particular, it has built software to track carbon footprints, linked with electronic diary recording, and traceability. At the same time, it has built a system of stamps, brand recognition, to promote e-commerce, promote multi-channel sales... for dragon fruit products. For example, Thuan Tien Cooperative (Ham Thuan Bac) - 1 of 4 cooperatives participating in the project, currently has 4 affiliated member cooperatives. The production process has applied technical advances, reducing carbon emissions. Of which, the area with LED lighting application is 72.76 hectares, water-saving irrigation is 18.71 hectares; 24 affiliated members are applying digital transformation in the green dragon fruit chain and it is expected that 15 members will develop in the near future.

*Support LED bulbs for cooperatives participating in the project.*

The provincial Agricultural Extension Center said that some of the next directions of the project are to monitor and support producers to proactively participate in the green dragon fruit chain. On the other hand, communicating green products to consumers to encourage producers to convert...

*Farmers participate in dragon fruit production according to the value chain.*

According to the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, by the end of 2022, the whole province will have nearly 27,800 hectares of dragon fruit, an increase of nearly 40% compared to 2011; output from nearly 400,000 tons to 594,000 tons. From 2021 to now, dragon fruit prices have always fluctuated at a low level, low consumption output, affecting the dragon fruit production situation of farmers. Therefore, one of the solutions mentioned in the coming time is to reorganize production, form large-scale dragon fruit specialized areas, apply high technology, and meet GAP standards. Along with that, strengthen information close to the market, focus on agricultural extension in organizing brand building, product labels, linking according to the value chain linking production with consumption...

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