Prof. Wendy Umberger, CEO of ACIAR, and Dr. Pham Ngoc Mau, MoAE, after signing the agreement to help fruit farmers in the northwest digitalise production and improve market access

The Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) and Vietnam’s Ministry of Agriculture and Environment (MoAE) have renewed their long-standing partnership, emphasising Vietnam-led priorities. The signing ceremony marked a key step in setting the agenda for future research aimed at boosting digital and green growth in the country’s agriculture sector.

The new ACIAR-funded project, a four-year, $1.36 million bilateral research partnership, will focus on digitally monitoring VietGAP compliance in smallholder fruit value chains in northwest Vietnam. It is co-led by Australia's Applied Horticulture Research and Vietnam’s Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI).

Researchers from FAVRI, the Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute, and Vietnam National University of Agriculture are helping northwest Vietnamese farmers improve market access and boost the global profile of Vietnamese fruit. The work is part of ACIAR’s $12.07 million Vietnam portfolio for the next five years.

"We wish to collaborate closely with ACIAR to achieve Vietnam’s goals of green growth, digitalisation, and innovation in the agriculture sector, leveraging both countries' strengths," said Deputy Minister of MoAE Tran Thanh Nam.

"ACIAR has been a proud partner of Vietnamese farmers for over 30 years. We are pleased to see the integration of agriculture and the environment, which will support Vietnam in addressing pressing challenges through a more comprehensive approach. ACIAR is committed to helping Vietnam develop country-led initiatives, from identifying research needs to developing new projects," said ACIAR CEO Prof. Wendy Umberger.

The dialogue also strengthened ACIAR’s bilateral partnerships with leaders and research institutions from the Ministry of Education and Training and the Ministry of Science and Technology. Participants from Vietnam and Australia represented a diverse range of agricultural expertise, covering science, policy, human resource development, and trade. The event reinforced the commitment between ACIAR and MoAE to building a bilateral partnership of trust, shared accountability, and mutual benefits, as agreed in an MoU signed between ACIAR and the former Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development in last year.

The ACIAR is the Australian government’s specialist agricultural research-for-development agency within the Australian aid programme. ACIAR delivers the knowledge and technology that underpins more productive and sustainable farming systems and more resilient food systems for developing countries and Australia.

Since 1993, ACIAR worked with Vietnamese farmers, investing in more than 260 projects worth around $120 million, focusing on sustainable agricultural development and enhancing livelihoods. ACIAR has also granted more than 120 scholarships to Vietnamese scientists, enhancing research capacity and leadership development.