In the context of global agriculture shifting strongly towards sustainability, the public-private partnership (PPP) model has become an important driving force to help increase the value of agricultural production in Vietnam. Typically, the Vegetable and Fruit PPP group chaired by the National Agricultural Extension Center (Public Sector); accompanied by PepsiCo Foods Vietnam, Syngenta Vietnam (Private Sector) has successfully implemented a model of linking sustainable potato production, farming towards reducing emissions and applying high technology.

The driving force of the public-private partnership (PPP) model

In 2024, the Vegetable PPP Group has deployed a series of new solutions in potato cultivation such as: Soil health solutions; comprehensive pest management solutions; precision irrigation systems, fertilization techniques through the fertilizer injection system; weather monitoring devices connecting software directly to smartphones; using drones to monitor the process from planting to harvesting and spraying pesticides...

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Developing potato growing areas under the PPP model to create livelihoods for people and reduce negative impacts on the environment. Photo: Syngenta Vietnam

The success of this model not only contributes to the implementation of Vietnam's Sustainable Agricultural Development Strategy for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision to 2050, but is also a concrete demonstration of the commitments at COP26 on net zero emissions by 2050.

Given the fact that domestic potato production only meets about 30-40% of consumption demand and Vietnam still has to import a large amount of potatoes from Australia, the US, Germany, the Netherlands and China, replicating this sustainable production model is an important solution to increase the initiative in the supply chain, reduce dependence on imported sources, and at the same time promote the development of the Vietnamese potato industry in a modern and sustainable direction.

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Farmers participating in the model receive technical support from Syngenta on seeds, cultivation, safe use of pesticides, and water-saving irrigation. Photo: Syngenta Vietnam

Solid foundation from implementation experience in the Central Highlands

Since 2019, PepsiCo Foods Vietnam, Syngenta Vietnam and partners have implemented a sustainable potato production model in the Central Highlands region, with the goal of improving productivity, reducing production costs and protecting the environment. The project has recorded outstanding results when the cultivated area increased from the initial 400 hectares to nearly 1,700 hectares by 2024, while the average yield reached 30-34 tons/ha - significantly higher than the traditional method.

Building on the success in the Central Highlands, the 2024-2025 Winter-Spring crop marks an important turning point when the model is expanded to the northern provinces with a total area of ​​320 hectares. In the first crop season, the average yield reached 23-26 tons/ha, 8 tons/ha higher than previous crops. At the same time, production costs are also significantly reduced thanks to the precision irrigation system that saves 3,170 m³ of water/ha, a set of pest management solutions that reduce the need for spraying pesticides by 2 times/crop, and the use of drones that reduce the amount of water used to mix pesticides by more than 10 times.

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In the first crop expanded to the North, potato yield reached an average of 23-26 tons/ha. Photo: Syngenta Vietnam

The success of the model is not only reflected in the numbers but also in the positive changes in the thinking and farming methods of farmers. Mr. Doan Truong Vinh, a farmer in Quynh Phu, Thai Binh shared: “Before, we did things the old way, we were used to it, now applying new techniques and using new varieties, we are also confused. However, thanks to detailed technical instructions and guaranteed output, we are also assured. Recently, my potatoes harvested an average of 25 tons/ha, with a profit of about 100 million/ha, so I am extremely excited and completely confident with this new model.”

Similarly, Mr. Do Xuan Hien - Chairman of Luong Tai Cooperative, Bac Ninh also acknowledged the effectiveness of the model: "At first it took time to learn new things, but in return, now I save a lot of time and effort in the farming process, and the efficiency is higher. After just one crop, I not only know how to treat soil, treat seeds, and fertilize using modern methods, but also know how to use the phone to manage and adjust irrigation water through the application".

Expanding the sustainable potato production model to the North not only helps farmers have more crop options with stable income, but also helps businesses proactively supply high-quality raw materials, contributing to the development of the potato value chain in a sustainable direction. At the same time, this is also an important step in the roadmap for implementing the Food Innovation Network in Vietnam (FIH-V) 2025, towards a modern agriculture, reducing emissions and being highly competitive in the international market.

Tu Uyen