Ms Kamila Tovbaeva, Coordinator of the Component Coordinator of Capacity Building for Cooperatives and Farmers under GFA Consulting Company.

The German-funded Green Innovation Centres for the Agriculture and Food Sector (GIC) project worth over 7 million EUR is underway in Mekong Delta localities.

Co-implemented by German development agency GIZ and the Department of Cooperatives and Rural Development, the project aims to promote the introduction and replication of innovative models and solutions through various agricultural products in contribution to sustainable rural development.

Accordingly, a series of goals have been set, including helping farmers reduce 40% of water use, 25% chemical use, 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, and 60 of pesticides.

Beneficiaries are the provinces of An Giang, Kien Giang, Hau Giang, Dong Thap, Soc Trang, and Can Tho city.

Kamila Tovbaeva, Coordinator of the Component Coordinator of Capacity Building for Cooperatives and Farmers under GFA Consulting Company, said the GFA will provide assistance to 90 cooperatives in the Green Innovation Project located in six delta localities as well as business training for nearly 8,000 farmers until 2023.

In An Giang, the GFA is in charge of capacity building for 17 local agricultural cooperatives and business training for farmers. These components primarily focus on boosting skills in cooperative management, production and business planning, financial management, marketing and market management.

Earmarked to implement the project for the local cultivation of rice and mango from 2021 to 2025, An Giang expects to improve farming efficiency and quality and gradually develop a sustainable value chain.