Imbalance nutrients during fertilization often leads to high incidence of disease during pre and post-harvest of mango production. Therefore, under the umbrella of the Green Innovation Centre for Agriculture and Food Sector (GIC), Fresh Studio has introduced soil and leaf test to help farmers understand more about their soil health and how the tree absorbs the nutrients. Understanding these features can help farmer step-by-step adjust their own fertilizer program.
On 7th June, Fresh Studio gave a short training for farmers in the six project province emphasizing the importance of balance nutrition for good yield and optimize production cost. More than 170 farmers attended the workshop and to be counted more. Together with the training, a guideline about nutrient management also provided to the farmers. The highlight of the training was emphasizing on how importance is the soil pH as the first step the correct the fertilizer application. pH tester paper was introduced and provided to the farmers attended to the training to help them understand the current situation of their soil before any corrective step.
Reading nutrient deficiency symptoms and checking the leaves
In addition to the fertilizer management workshop, Fresh Studio also promoted the importance of proper pruning for a fruitful yield and reduce the production cost. Mango farmers now pruned after harvest, however, still many producers did not prune properly. Additionally, the planting density is dense which cause numerous production issues, including high risk of disease and high production cost. It is interesting that after the training, GAP Cu Lao Gieng Cooperative has informed Fresh Studio that farmers started to reduce the planting density and the local agricultural department want to promote this innovation to more farmers.
Q&A during the workshopGiving hand saw as a gift to remind frequent pruning to improve performance.
Last but not least, to keep track of the farming activity and learn practical lessons, Fresh Studio also highlighted the importance of keep a farm record and warmed up the contest.
As part of the Green Innovation Centers for Agriculture and Food Sector (GIC Vietnam) project, Mango Business School successfully held the Mango post-harvest management training on May 18-19, 2023. The training took place at the Southern Horticultural Research Institute (SOFRI) and featured teaching from Rene Oostewechel, an international consultant Postharvest Technology at Wageningen University & Research.
The workshop was a resounding success, with nearly 60 actors from local authorities, cooperatives, companies, and farmers registering to attend. The trainees, who were enthusiastic about the course, absorbed many useful lectures and interesting activities.
Post-harvest treatment is crucial to increase profitability for farmers and businesses
This training course was part of the Mango Business School of the GIC project component. The primary aim of the training was to teach methodologies for controlling post-harvest losses during the mango supply chain, from harvesting to export. The course covered 07 topics: post-harvest management of mango, optimal storage conditions, prevention of post-harvest diseases, group discussions on how to prevent post-harvest diseases, packaging of mango fruits, modified packaging of mango fruit, and field trip.
In addition to classroom lectures, the course included field trips to the Hoang Phat Fruit Co. Ltd. packhouse, where trainees were shown the standard process of de-sapping, hot water treatment, packing, and cold storage. The field trips gave trainees hands-on experience in the mango supply chain and allowed them to see the practical application of the theories they learned in class.
Packhouse of Hoang Phat Fruit Ltd.
By the end of the training course, the trainees left with a wealth of knowledge on how to control post-harvest losses during the mango supply chain. Attendees were grateful for the opportunity to learn from an expert in postharvest technology and get hands-on experience in the field. It is hoped that the lessons learned in this course will be applied to the mango industry to reduce post-harvest losses and increase profitability for farmers and businesses.
From March 1st to March 3rd, 2023, the fifth international exhibition and conference for Horticultural and Floricultural and Processing Technology, HortEx Vietnam 2023, was held successfully.
Fresh Studio at the HortEx Vietnam 2023
This year, Fresh Studio was pleased to participate in the exposition in collaboration with partners Elysee, Fitto, Agrico, Limgroup, Agriance, Gautier, BVB Substrates, BASF, Nunhems, Koppert, and Royal Brinkman. Thanks to the trust of our partners, Fresh Studio was honored to present them and introduce their applications to visitors at the same booth.
At the booth, we welcomed visitors and potential clients, introducing and advising them on our services and how they could fit into their business, such as seeds, greenhouse film, irrigation systems, and substrates. Visitors had the opportunity to try our vegetables and take samples of the supplies, helping us gain more trust and reliability from clients. Everyone was impressed by the grandiose display of the booth and how helpful we were.
In addition, on the first day, our Managing Partner, Rene van Rensen, held two seminars at the exhibition. These seminars aimed to help visitors and potential clients understand more about Fresh Studio’s impacts and services in the horticultural sector. The seminars also showed how we could help them build a sustainable business in the future. In the past, we created value chains for different products, introduced high-quality substrates, modern greenhouse film, and more to help farmers and cooperatives.
The second seminar was about cooperation between Vietnam and the Netherlands toward a sustainable horticultural sector. The conference was held by the Ambassador of the Kingdom of Netherlands in Vietnam, the Agricultural Counselor, the Deputy Director General, the Crop Production Department, and other businesses such as Open Asia/Larive, Koppert, Ridder, and Fresh Studio. Rene van Rensen introduced the impact of the application of biological control agents to keep pests and diseases under the economic threshold. Depending on the crops, we could apply selected natural enemies and biological control products to maximize prevention naturally, instead of using chemical pest control.
Fresh Studio would like to thank our sponsors, partners, and visitors. Without them, this successful event could not have happened. Thank you for visiting and reaching out to us. We hope to see you again in the future.
Farm diary has been receiving attention not only from buyers but also responsible consumers. It is the first priority to be issued production unit code (PUC), so that the products produced on the farm can be exported.
On 8th February, Fresh Studio kicked off the “My Mango Farm Diary” contest to encourage farmer to document their production process in 10 partnered cooperatives. The contest aimed to create a habit for farmers to write what agro-chemical products they used, which can increase transparency, reliability and confidence for the end-users.
My Mango farm diary contest and anthracnose control workshop
The contest received a warm welcome from cooperative leaders. They reckoned that writing farm production diary is the most challenging task; however, the GIC mango project motivates the growers through this contest and interesting rewards. At present, 242 farmers have signed up the contest. Tinh Thoi Cooperative (Dong Thap), Binh Hang Trung Cooperative (Dong Thap) and Cat Hoa Loc Hon Dat Cooperative (Kien Giang) are the top 3 having the highest number of participants.
Workshop – Anthracnose control
Besides the contest, how to use the agro-chemical products correctly and comply to the requirements of the market, Fresh Studio also collaborated with BASF – a German agro-chemical producer – to give a short talk on the control of anthracnose in the rainy season. BASF representatives also selected some farmers to make demonstration of their anthracnose control protocol so the farmers can see the efficacy by their own eyes.
From 8 to 11 November 2022 as part of the Mango Business School activities under the Green Innovation Centers for the agriculture and food sector (GIC) project: ‘Strengthening the Mango value chain in the Mekong River Delta’, project partners were trained in mango farming strategies related to efficient fertilizer application, pruning strategy, anthracnose control and irrigation strategy. The training was provided by experts from Can Tho University, Eurofins, Loc Troi and Fresh Studio.
All trainees were actively involved in the various training sessions
During the training, trainees learned how to prune branches to create canopy properly, the demand and calculation of soil nutrients, the reasons for soil and leaf tests, calculation the amount of water required for mango trees, determine the appropriate time to irrigate through smart devices, and identify, treat anthracnose. The highly participatory approach of the training resulted that all trainees were actively involved in the various training sessions.
The knowledge and methods trained during the classroom sessions were applied by the trainees during their assignments. They experienced what they learned on the day of practice in the demo farm. It was very exciting for them to practice measuring soil moisture through modern equipment such as tension meter, electric sensor and compared with manual method. They also practiced taking soil and leaf samples and performing pruning and anthracnose identification. Compared with the theoretical study in class, the practical day helps them understand the knowledge deeper and have the plan to apply these advanced techniques to their orchards in the near future.
About the project
GIC Vietnam is jointly implemented by Ministry of agriculture and rural development (MARD) and GIZ and funded by German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development. The project aims to promote sustainable Mango Value Chain in six provinces of the Mekong River Delta (MRD): Dong Thap, An Giang, Kien Giang, Can Tho, Hau Giang and Soc Trang by fostering innovations on mango value chains.
This project aims to increase the productivity and income of small-scale farming households, create new jobs and improve resilience of the mango value chains through implementation of climate-intelligent innovations.
The “Strengthening the Mango value chain in the Mekong Delta” project aims to enable stakeholders throughout the value chain to successfully implement identified innovations to enhance their business in terms of sustainability, climate chain resilience and profitability.
Agricultural production in the Mekong Delta in Vietnam is of great national and global importance for current and future food security as well as rural income. It is threatened by the consequences of climate change and the unsustainable use of water and agrochemicals. The smallholders of the Mekong Delta region are not yet able to access existing and developing innovations to ensure their business and income are secure. There even more difficulties in ensuring their production methods are environmentally sustainable. Limited access to innovation limits sustainable rural development and improved food quality and security.
An overview of the component “Strengthening the Mango Value Chain In The Mekong Delta”
The Vietnam country package is a part of their global project “Green Innovation Centre (GIC) in the Agricultural and Food Sector” of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) special initiative “ONE WORLD without Hunger”. It is carried out in six central provinces of the Mekong Delta: An Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Tien Giang, Hau Giang and Soc Trang. The main project objective is to provide rice and mango smallholders with access to sustainable innovations to increase income, employment and food quality. The “Strengthening the Mango value chain in the Mekong Delta” project is implemented under the Vietnam country package.
Vietnam produces about 800,000 tons of fresh mango annually, of which about 500,000 tons are produced in the Mekong Delta, this accounts for 45% of the national share of mango orchards. This puts Vietnam in fourteenth place globally in terms of volume of mango production. The majority of mango produced is consumed on the domestic market. 170,000 tons of mango are exported, of which, 94% is unbranded and traded across the Chinese border. The remaining share is exported to medium-high value markets in the Middle East, Russia, Asia-Pacific, and North America.
Mango Business School is an initiative of the component “Strengthening the Mango Value Chain In The Mekong Delta”. The purpose of Mango Business School is to increase the knowledge capacity of key staffs of cooperatives, companies, Department of Agriculture and Rural Development, and other actors in the mango value chain.
A more efficient, environmentally friendly and internationally competitive agricultural sector is required to improve exportation of mango products from Vietnam. Global and domestic demand for mango and other tropical fruits has increased due to a change in consumer diets and an increase in disposable income. Consumers are willing to pay premium prices for high quality fruits. This allows for the potential for uptake of innovation to improve the mango value chain and boost exports of fresh and value-added products.
This year’s main potato production season is coming to an end in Vietnam, and we can look back at a very good and successful season. Newly registered potato varieties of Agrico are showing excellent performance from the Central Highlands to the Red River Delta and Northern highlands. Farmers are very happy and eager to expand their potato production area for their next potato crop. Rene van Rensen (Managing Partner / R&D Director Crops) could see the latest results during his current visit to Vietnam.
Farmers in Son La (North Vietnam) are very happy with their potato crop and informed they never grew a potato variety with such good performance. Making the farmers even more happy is that they can sell their potatoes for a very good price. Especially when they see the cabbage prices at an all-time low this week (VND 1,000 per kg), the other main vegetable crop in Son La. With these good results they are eager to grow more potato next season and diversify their production from mainly growing cabbage.
Visiting farmers in Son La province
Also in in the Red River Delta and the Central Highlands farmers are very satisfied with their potato crop this year. Of course with varieties from Agrico!
Good result with potato crop in the Red River Delta
These results are all spinoffs from the successful ProPoor potato project. One of the activities in the project was the testing, selection and official registration of these stronger, higher yielding and better-quality potato varieties. Besides the extensive field testing, Fresh Studio also tested with consumers which potato varieties they preferred. This to ensure a win-win in production and sales. The demand for potatoes in urban Vietnam is growing, mostly used as a “vegetable” in soups. Instead of importing fresh potatoes from other countries, potatoes offer farmers in Vietnam a good opportunity to increase their income. In 2001, Vietnam just imported fresh potatoes for a value of just US$ 0.3 mln . By 2019 this number had grown to US$ 108 mln and 120,000 tons (6,000 containers).
For more information regarding the project contact:
Twenty professors and researchers from universities, DARDs, TVET and research institutes will participate in a two-day training entitled “Irrigation efficiency and water use-efficiency in crops production”. This is one of several pieces of training offered by the Orange Knowledge Programme (OKP) Project “Towards a climate resilient nursery sector and value chains in the Mekong Delta through capacity building in the educational and government sectors”.
OKP project is A Dutch-Vietnamese knowledge partnership project to promote the development of a climate resilient nursery sector & value chains in An Giang, Dong Thap, Can Tho, Soc Trang, Tien Giang and Vinh Long, funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of The Netherlands and managed by NUFFIC. This project introduces scalable water technology pilots for the aquaculture and horticulture sectors to develop climate-smart value chains. The project international partners including AERES University, HAS University, Fresh Studio Innovations Asia and Nong Lam University work with local governments and educational institutions to enhance capacity so that adaptations to cope with transformation in the MD can be accelerated at the local level.
The main outcomes of the projects are :
Improved capacity of trainers and teachers, upgraded curricula and training materials applying interactive multi-disciplinary approaches in higher education (HE) and technical vocational education and training (TVET).
Establishment of an indoor nursery R&D facility for Pangasius to pre-nurse robust juveniles which deliver higher yields, and thereby added value to local farmers.
Enhanced knowledge & capacity on integrated adaptation strategies, climate smart agriculture (CSA) and efficient water management themes of support organizations within aquaculture & horticulture value chains
“The Netherland- Vietnam Strategic Partnership Agreements (SPAs) focus on technology and knowledge transfer in climate change, water management, sustainable agriculture and food security; the focus themes of this project. The Mekong Delta Agricultural Transformation Plan (MD-ATP) and VN Government Resolution 120 endorse agricultural transition toward vertically integrated value chains and a shift to modern agro-business specialization. The OKP NUFFIC project contributes directly to realize this vision through the transfer of essential technology, knowledge, and skills, “ said Mr. Willem Schoustra, Agriculture Counsellor, Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Vietnam
The supply of fruits and vegetables in the MD still cannot meet the increasing demand domestically and abroad. According to the World Bank (2016), the fruit demand in Vietnam will increase from 5 million tons by 2009 to 7 million tons by 2030. Vietnamese exports of fruit show ongoing growth. The capacity to produce diversified fruit types is an advantage of Vietnamese fruit when penetrating the world market.
In addition, the participation of Vietnam in trade agreements (CPTPP and EVFTA) brings great market potential for processed fruits due to big and rapid tax reduction commitments by member countries, especially compared to fresh and raw products. Freshwater supply, suboptimal groundwater tables and reducing agricultural lands due to salinity intrusion and rising sea levels has strong impacts on fruits & vegetables production in the MD. This requires efficient and climate smart water management strategies.
One of the most effective means to conserve water appears to be through carefully managed deficit irrigation strategies that are supported by advanced irrigation systems. Implementation of crop location strategies, conversion to crops with higher economic value or productivity per unit of water consumed, and adoption of drought‐ and/or salt-tolerant crops are discussed in academic research, however these strategies are still very limited in practice. This project will focus on filling this gap. Technical trainings on water quality management and irrigation efficiency for agricultural value chains will be developed and contextualized to close the gap between theory and practices.
End 2019 Fresh Studio together with the project consortium Applied Horticulture Research, Royal Brinkman, BVB-Substrates, Semillas Fito and Gautier Semences started to identify 13 female farmers willing to investment in a plant nursery or vegetable production greenhouse in Son La province.
This was not an easy task as greenhouse production is relatively new in Son La province, but in 2019 5 female farmers had enough trust to join the project and the first plant nurseries and greenhouses were established. These plant nurseries and greenhouses were very well received and with their quality and design set a new standard. The first build nurseries and greenhouses in combination with the technical support by our local team of agronomist made it easier to earn the trust of more female farmers to join the project and invest themselves in a plant nursery or vegetable production greenhouse.
Today the project objective of realizing 8 plant nurseries and 5 vegetable production greenhouses has been realized with the final construction work completed. The work of the project now continues in the coming weeks, with training of farmers, field days to share knowledge and technologies and continues coaching and technical support through our local team or agronomists based in Moc Chau and Hanoi. Rene van Rensen – Managing Partner / R&D Director crops was able to visit all location during is recent visit to Moc Chau, Van Ho and Mai Son.
Rene van Rensen: “It is really exciting to see how dedicated and proud the nursery and greenhouse owners are to produce seedlings and vegetables. It makes me very proud to see the progress they are making to work in a professional way and our team of Fresh Studio to realize all successfully! We can see already the positive impact this project has on developing a professional horticulture sector in Son La province in which women are in the lead. ”
Through the plant nurseries local farmers have now access to high quality seedlings and improved and new varieties and through the vegetable production greenhouses local farmers learn how to extend their production season, produce vegetables they could not grow before, increase the yield and quality of their crops all in compliance with VietGAP to ensure food safety.
It gives us great pride to make knowledge and technologies available for the farmers in Son La so they have a bright future ahead!
For more information regarding the project contact:
It might not seem like a big greenhouse that was opened this week in Son La, Vietnam, but it is the start of something bigger. The greenhouse is the first of 13 being opened in the region as part of a social project and, if it’s up to Rene van Rensen with Fresh Studio, the first of many more in the future. “The area is very well suited for a large horticultural presence, if you look at the climate and the people of the region, but it needs time.”
Thirteen greenhouses Take a breath and read. “Sowing a bright future for economic development and women’s empowerment in Son La province, Vietnam through high-quality seedlings and greenhouse vegetables.” That’s the name of the project the new greenhouse is part of and which was developed and is managed by Fresh Studio. In total thirteen greenhouses are going to be built for the project in the coming months: Eight will be nurseries, and five will be for vegetable production.
This first one is meant for growing vegetables. In the coming weeks, the first cultivation will be starting in the greenhouse. “In the beginning, we will be cultivating the crops that do well in colder circumstances, such as: lettuce, broccoli, spinach, and potentially squash,” Rene says. “Later on we will also start cultivating fruit crops like tomatoes, cucumbers and bell peppers. What we can cultivate is obviously dependent on the climate, we have to figure out at what time of the season it is possible to grow which crops, but also on the demand from the market. For the seeds with Semillas Fito and Pop Vriend Seeds we have two excellent project partners to supply the right varieties. And with Royal Brinkman and BVB Substrates we have the right partners to supply all greenhouse technologies the growers will need. And Applied Horticulture Research from Australia will provide training and technical support as a project partner.”
Next week the first nursery of the project will be completed, according to Rene a very important part of the project. “In this region, there are no professional propagators, so in reality, they are growing from one step behind. By setting up these nurseries and training growers to propagate, you can reach thousands of growers. One greenhouse will help one family and the people that work in the greenhouse, one nursery could potentially help one hundred growers get high quality seedlings,” he says. “Nurseries have a larger reach, and a larger positive impact on the growing market. You have to begin at the foundation, which is good quality seedlings.”
And that’s exactly what the goal of the program is: to reach hundreds of growers and have a positive impact on their lives and careers. That’s also part of the vision of Fresh Studio. The Vietnamese company has been active in consultancy for the Vietnamese horticultural industry and supports hundreds of growers in the country.
GREAT The project is part of the Australian government initiative Aus4equality, and is affectionately referred to as “GREAT”: Gender Responsive Equitable Agriculture and Tourism. The program is focused on developing local economies, as well as specifically helping women develop themselves further.
Local production The GREAT project is specifically focusing on the northern area of Vietnam, because local production is in very high demand in this area. “One of the reasons to grow in these areas is that during the summer, when it’s around 30°C to 40°C in the areas surrounding Hanoi, the Delta will be filled with rice and there is a lack of vegetable production in the Hanoi area,” says Rene. “So vegetables are sent to Hanoi from China or Da Lat, but even from Da Lat it’s still two days of travel to get to Hanoi. But here in the highlands, the climate during the summer is perfectly suited for vegetable growing. About 8 million people live in Hanoi, so you can grow plenty of vegetables for that market during the summer.”
Greenhouses True to the spirit of the project the greenhouses are being built by a local greenhouse builder, Lam Da. Lam Da and Fresh Studio looked at designs for the greenhouse together. “Ultimately we landed on the Umbrella Vent type, which is well suited for the local climate conditions,” Rene says. “The gutter height is 4.5 meters, so the top will be 8 meters high in order to make sure there is enough volume to realize a good climate.”
The film for the greenhouses is supplied by Agripolyane in France and is called Celloclim. One of the special features of this greenhouse film is that it has a cooling effect due to the bubbles inside the film. This ensures that the greenhouse stays cool when it is too warm outside. On top of that, the film is very diffuse which is especially beneficial for fruit crops as it results in much better penetration of sunlight.
Help Fresh Studio will continue to support the growers during cultivation, and guide them throughout the next two years. “We are also looking at introducing new products with more added value, such as cherry or cluster tomatoes, during this time,” says Rene. “Although we have a lot of experience related to greenhouse production in Lam Dong province, we have never done something like this in North Vietnam, so this is kind of a challenge. We have to see which varieties work in these particular conditions, but finding the right variety is also the fun part of the work.”
However, after the project comes to an end, Fresh Studio will continue supporting the growers in Sơn La, but on a commercial basis. “This is a nice part of such a project, you can use it to figure out a lot of things and educate and coach local growers,” says Rene. “First you set up a pilot, and afterwards you can upscale and let it continue on a commercial basis. In the end seedling and vegetable production has to be self-sufficient. We have realised this with other projects as well, so I’m sure we will succeed again to realise this.”
For more information: René van Rensen Fresh Studio® 5B, Lane 111, Xuan Dieu Street, Quang An Ward, Tay Ho District, Hanoi, Vietnam Tel: +84 437 591 380 rene.van.rensen@freshstudio.vn www.freshstudio.vn
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