How to achieve food security, improved nutrition and accelerate sustainable agriculture in Vietnam? How to increase the income of small scale farmers in Vietnam? The ‘Growing out of poverty with potato’ project aims to tackle this challenge and sets an example by creating a value chain for a high quality and sustainable potato production system in Vietnam.
Since its launch in 2014, the ‘Growing out of poverty with potato’ project made a great deal of progress and we are pleased to share the results of the 3rd project year. 22 March 2017, the Dutch Vice Minister for Agriculture Ms. Marjolijn Sonnema visited the ‘Growing out of poverty with potato’ project Pro Poor Potato project in Vietnam. During her visit she visited the potato fields in Tu Son district and Bac Ninh where she handed over the official certificates to farmers that successfully completed the three potato training modules introduced by the project and helped to harvest potatoes. These activities and direct discussion with Vietnamese farmers gave her a good impression of the positive impact the project is already having to vitalise the Vietnamese potato sector.
Supply
- First 2 potato varieties passed phase 1 of the registration process and are now in final registration phase (commercial production of these varieties).
- Continuation of potato variety trials and registration of 6 more potato varieties.
- Potato production enhancing equipment, like irrigation systems and machinery to plant and harvest potatoes introduced to potato farmers.
- 1,691 farmers (of which 72% female) received a training certificate after attending 3 potato training modules regarding potato production.
- Training of 27 potato production advisors was completed. Potato production advisors will visit contract farmers at least once every two weeks to assist them in optimizing their production performance.
Demand
- Over 1,000.000 consumers were reached through awareness campaigns in 21 wet markets and 7 supermarkets in Hanoi and HCMC.
- 400 consumers were interviewed to get more insight in their potato preferences.
- Food labs: 600 consumers participated in the sensory evaluation of potato varieties.
- 50 households prepared 4 selected potato varieties at home and provided feedback per potato variety.
Supply chain development
- 28 field days were organized and attended by 19 traders and over 400 farmers.
- 875 farmers signed contracts with farmers for table potatoes and 979 contracts signed for processing potato.
- Over 800,000 kg table potatoes contracted and bought from farmers by traders involved in project.
Policy development
- Potato policy brief developed and presented to various Vietnamese authorities and the Dutch Vice-Minister of Agriculture Ms. Marjolein Sonnema.
- Potato policy workshop organized with all project partners, Dutch embassy, Vietnamese authorities and research institutes.
- For more in-depth information about the progress in year 3 of the ‘Growing out of Poverty’ with potato project and projection to year 4 kindly download the full newsletter of Year 3 below:
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