The 1st Mekong Delta Forum on Developing Partnerships Between Australia & Vietnam for Organic Agriculture Movement An Giang University, 14-15th January 2019

Project: Aus4Skills Small Grants Fund Round 2-2018-SGF-R2-00064-Developing partnerships between Australia and Vietnam for organic agriculture movement: training and workshop in two countries

The 1st Mekong Delta Forum on Developing Partnerships Between Australia & Vietnam for Organic Agriculture Movement

An Giang University, 14-15th January 2019

Background and Aims

The aim of the project is to develop a new link between Australian and Vietnam for promoting organic agriculture movement through training and workshop. The project has four work packages (WP). The WP1 is to build capacity building for three Australian Awards Scholarship (AAS) Alumni from An Giang University (AGU) about experience and practices of organic agriculture development in Australia, provided by Organic Agriculture Association (OAA), National Association of Sustainable Agriculture Australia (NASAA), Canberra Organic Grower Society (COGS), Fenner School of Environment & Society, the Australian National University. In WP2, the AAS alumni team from AGU (Dr Nguyen Van Kien, Mr Nguyen Van Thai, Mr Le Ngoc Hiep) will develop an organic agriculture research Hub/Center/Institute entitles “Mekong Organics Hub” to promote linked agriculture – nutrition – public health in the Mekong Delta Region. For WP3, the Hub will partner with An Giang Department of Agriculture & Rural Development and An Giang People’s Committee to organize the first Mekong Delta Forum on Developing Partnerships Between Australia & Vietnam for Organic Agriculture Movement. The aims of the forum are to share the experience of organic agriculture research and development to organic growers, organic agriculture associations, farm extension staffs, local governments, business sectors, and NGOs and to develop a partnership for organic industry development in two countries: Vietnam-Australia. The WP4 is piloting home-based organic vegetable farm with Khmer women farmers in An Giang province to promote nutrition and population health outcomes for the communities.

This workshop (WP3) aims to develop partnerships between Australia & Vietnam for Organic Agriculture Movement. The forum is co-funded by Aus4Skills Small Grants for AAV alumni & An Giang People’s Committee (Department of Agriculture & Rural Development) & An Giang University.

Contact Details (AAV team, recipients of the AAV Small Grants from Aus4Skills)

  1. Dr Nguyen Van Kien (team leader), Research Center for Rural Development, An Giang University: nvkien@agu.edu.vn or organicsmekong@gmail.com ; Research Fellow, Fenner School of Environment & Society, the Australian National University, Founder of the Mekong Organics.
  2. Mr Le Ngoc Hiep, Faculty of Agriculture & Natural Resources, An Giang University: lnhiep@agu.edu.vn
  3. Mr Nguyen Van Thai, Research Center for Rural Development, An Giang University: nvthai@agu.edu.vn
  4. Mr Vo Thanh Minh, Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, An Giang Province: thanhminh4481@gmail.com

Key partners

  • An Giang University (AAV Alumni team, small grant from Aus4Skills)
  • Mekong Organics (in-kind contribution)
  • Research Center for Rural Development (in-kind contribution)
  • Organic Agriculture Association (OAA) Bairnsdale, Victoria, Australia (in kind contribution)
  • University of New England Australia (in-kind contribution)
  • Organic businesses in the South of Vietnam

Key donors: The forum is co-funded by Aus4Skills Small Grants Fund Round 2-2018 (AAV Alumni), An Giang People’s Committee & An Giang Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, and An Giang University.

AGENDA

14-15 JANUARY 2019

Venue: TRIG Conference Room, Level 2, An Giang University, New Campus: 18 Ung Van Khiem Street, Long Xuyen, An Giang, Vietnam

AN GIANG UNIVERSITY (AGU) & AN GIANG DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND RURAL DEVELOPMENT

Day 0 (13/01/2019)

3-5pmRegistration

Day 1 (14/01/2019)

7:00- 7:30 am Registration (continue)
7:30 – 7:40 amWelcome speech
A/Prof Vo Van Thang, Rector of An Giang University
7:40-7:50 amOrganic agriculture movement and policy in An Giang
Mr Tran Anh Thu, vice Chairman of An Giang People’s Committee
7:50 – 8:00 AMOrganic Agricultural Perspectives in An Giang
Mr Si Lam, Director of An Giang Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, An Giang province
8:00 – 8:30 AMDeveloping linkages between Australia & Vietnam and Asia on organic agriculture movement
Dr. Nguyen Van Kien, AAS Alumni, ANU Research Fellow, Researcher AGU, Mekong Organics Foundation
Show a video show about the Mekong Organics’ activities–AAS- Alumni team;
8:30 – 9:00 AMThe development of organic farming in Australia and the role of Organic Agriculture in supporting organic locally
Mr Alan Broughton, Vice President, Organic Agriculture Association Inc., Australia.
9:00 – 9:30 AMSharing of Organic standard, market– Australia – lessons for Vietnam
Associate Professor Paul Kristiansen, University of New England, Australia.
9:30 – 9:50AMTea break
9:50 – 10:20 AMOrganic agriculture movement in Vietnam: Opportunities and Challenges of PGS (Participatory Guarantee System) development in Vietnam (2008-1018)
Mrs Tu Tuyet Nhung, Team Leader of Participatory Guarantee System (PGS), Ha Noi, Vietnam
10:20 – 10:35 AMOrganic shrimp development on rice farm in Ca Mau province
Mr Duong Vu Phong, technical expert of the Minh Phu Mangrove Shrimp Social Enterprise, Ngoc Hien District, Ca Mau province
10:35-10:50Ecological rice on rice-shrimp farm in Ca Mau province – experience from Ca Mau province
Mrs Duong Thu Thao, Director of The Ong Tho Rice Company Ltd., HCM City
10:50-11:30Group Discussions
11:30 – 1:30 PMLunch & break
1:30 – 1:45 PMEcological rice – Experience from the Tam Viet Farm in Dong Thap
Mr Vo Van Tieng, Tam Viet Farm in Hong Ngu District, Dong Thap province, Vietnam
1:45 – 2:00 PMRecovery of traditional local rice in Chau Thanh District, Kien Giang province
Mr Le Quoc Viet, head of Chau Thanh Sub-Department of Agriculture & Rural Development
2:00 – 2:15 PMSmall scale organic vegetable farm (Ech Op) in Long Xuyen City, An Giang Vietnam
Mr Truong Thanh Dat – Ech Op Farm, Long Xuyen, An Giang
2:15 – 2:30 PMMekong Youth Farm
Mr Ly Quoc Dang, Can Tho University
2:30 – 2:45PMLarge scale of organic farming in the Southern Vietnam
Sharing the outcomes of the floating rice projects of RCRD from 2013-2016.
Dr. Nguyen Van Kien, Mr Le Thanh Phong, Mr Nguyen Van Thai
2:45 – 3:00 PMTea Break
3:00 – 3:15:00 PMPost-harvest and processing of organic products: Experience from Thailand and Vietnam.
Mr Le Ngoc Hiep, Faculty of Agriculture & Natural Resources, An Giang University
3:15-4:00Group Discussion
4:00- 4:45Panel Discussion
Mr Tran Anh Thu, Mr Si Lam, Dr. Nguyen Van Kien, Mr Alan Broughton, Prof Paul Kristiansen, Mrs Tu Tuyet Nhung
4:45 – 5:00 PMConclusions
Dr Nguyen Van Kien

Day 2: 15 January 2019 (Field trip)

  1. Visit Ech Op Farm in Long Xuyen city An Giang province, Vietnam

Participants (expected 100-150 participants)

  1. Australian Embassy in Hanoi (Aus4Skills Team), DAP team in HCM city
  2. NGOs working in organic agriculture (AliSEA, Seed to Table, Oxfam, DAP in HCM City; IUCN, WWF)
  3. Researchers and students from An Giang University, Can Tho University and other universities in the region.
  4. Leaders and staffs from An Giang Department of Agriculture & Rural Development, and District level
  5. Leaders of District’s People Committee
  6. Leaders of Department of Environment & Natural Resources
  7. Leaders of Women & Famers Association
  8. Leaders and members of An Giang Associations of Science & Technology
  9. Organic farmers in An Giang, and other provinces (Dong Thap, Soc Trang, Vinh Long, Ca Mau, Kien Giang…) in the Mekong Delta
  10. Organic agriculture business/shops in An Giang, provinces in the Mekong Delta, and in HCM city (Ong Tho Rice Company Ltd.; Hong Ha Agriculture Company Ltd; Vineco, Coop mark, Satra, Công ty TNHH Thuận Phong, Antesco in An Giang, Vien Phu Organic Farm in Ca Mau; Nang Tri Organic Rice in Ben Tre; Tam Viet Farm in Dong Thap, My Loc organic rice cooperative in Tam Binh, Vinh Long;
  11. Media (An Giang TV, newspapers), other newspapers (Vinh Long, Lao dong, Saigon Times) and regional television (Vinh Long Television, Can Tho Television)
  12. Department of Agriculture & Rural Development of Mekong Provinces (Dong Thap, Long An, Tien Giang, Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, Vinh Long, Tra Vinh, Long An, Soc Trang)

Logistics

Registration to the forum committee

Mr. Lê Ngọc Hiệp: Email: lnhiep@agu.edu.vn; số đt: 0944321311

Ông Phạm Tấn Đạt: phamdatbiology@gmail.com số ĐT: 0976413208

Facebook: MekongOrganics

The forum offers

  1. Materials
  2. Morning and afternoon tea/catering on 14 Jan 2019
  3. Lunch on 14 Jan 2019

The forum DOES NOT OFFER travel and accommodation for participants

Priority for the early registration

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