At the meeting in Sydney, both sides discussed future research directions. A highlight of the programme was the signing of a new project designed to advance Viet Nam’s agriculture towards digital transformation and green growth.

The new bilateral cooperation project, funded by ACIAR, is titled “Digital monitoring of VietGAP compliance in the fruit value chain of smallholder farmers in the Northwest for high-quality domestic markets and potential export markets.” The four-year project is valued at 2.1 million Australian dollars (about 1.38 million USD).

It will be jointly implemented by the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI), the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute, and the Viet Nam Academy of Agriculture, in collaboration with Australia’s Applied Horticultural Research (AHR).

The project will support farmers in Northwest Viet Nam in accessing high-quality markets and enhancing the global value of Vietnamese fruits. It is part of ACIAR’s broader programme in Viet Nam, with total funding of around 18.6 million Australian dollars (12.2 million USD) over the next five years.

Tran Thanh Nam, Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Environment, stressed the importance of the partnership: “We look forward to working closely with Australia in general and ACIAR in particular to achieve our goals of green growth, digital transformation, and innovation in agriculture, maximising the strengths of both Australia and Viet Nam.”

Meanwhile, Professor Wendy Umberger, Chief Executive Officer of ACIAR, expressed pride in the more than 30-year partnership with the ministry: “We are pleased to see the integration of environment and agriculture management, which will enable Viet Nam to address challenges more comprehensively. ACIAR is committed to supporting Viet Nam-led initiatives, from identifying research needs to developing new projects in Viet Nam, for the benefit of the Vietnamese people.”

The dialogue also strengthened bilateral cooperation between ACIAR and other partners, including leaders and research agencies under the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Science and Technology.

The delegates from both Australia and Viet Nam represented diverse fields related to agriculture, ranging from scientific research, policy, and trade to personnel development.