Ministry of Agriculture & Rural Development Completion Report Improving the safety and quality of Vietnamese vegetables through research and capacity building in quality assurance, postharvest management and high technology protected cropping systems Project 004/04VI Table of Contents Institute Information _ Project Abstract _ 3 Executive Summary Introduction & Background _ Progress to Date _ 5.1 5.1.1 5.1.2 5.1.3 5.1.4 5.1.5 Implementation Highlights Protected cropping trials Evaluation of Vietnamese cocopeat _ Capacity building of research and extension personnel Fostering practice-change in farmers and other supply chain partners 10 Supply chains mapped 12 5.2 5.3 Capacity Building _ 13 5.4 Publicity _ 14 5.5 Smallholder Benefits _ 13 Project Management 14 Report on Cross-Cutting Issues 14 6.1 6.2 Environment _ 14 Gender and Social Issues _ 14 Implementation & Sustainability Issues _ 14 7.1 Issues and Constraints _ 14 7.2 Options 14 7.3 Sustainability _ 15 Next Critical Steps 15 Conclusion 15 1 Institute Information Project Name Improving the safety and quality of Vietnamese vegetables through research and capacity building in quality assurance, postharvest management and high technology protected cropping systems Vietnamese Institution Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI) Trau Quy, Gia Lam, Hanoi Vietnamese Project Team Leader Associate Prof Dr Tran Khac Thi Australian Organisation Industry and Investment, NSW (formerly NSW DPI) Gosford Primary Industries Institute Centre of Excellence in Market Access and Greenhouse Horticulture Incorporating the National Centre for Greenhouse Horticulture Australian Personnel Dr Suzie Newman (Australian Project Leader) Dr Sophie Parks Mr Joseph Ekman Dr Vong Nguyen (retired, former Project Leader) Date commenced 30th September 2005 Completion date (original) 30th September 2007 Completion date (revised) 31st May 2008 Reporting period Final Report Contact Officer(s) In Australia: Team Leader Dr Suzie Newman Telephone: Project Leader, Fax: Research Horticulturist Email: Organisation Industry and Investment, NSW (formerly NSW Name: Position: +61 4348 1934 +61 4348 1910 suzie.newman@industry.nsw.gov.au Department of Primary Industries) In Australia: Administrative contact Name: Position: Mr Graham Denney Manager External Funding Organisation Industry and Investment, NSW Telephone: Fax: Email: graham.denney@industry.nsw.gov.au In Vietnam Name: Position: Associate Prof Dr Tran Khac Thi Project Leader, Deputy Director, Head of Vegetable and Spice Department Organisation Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (FAVRI) Telephone: Fax: 84-4-8276316 Email: vrqhn@hn.vnn.vn; tkthi@vnn.vn 84-4-8276148 2 Project Abstract Protected cropping provides vegetable growers with an opportunity to enhance product quality and improve food safety The overall objective of this project was to provide Vietnamese scientists and extension specialists with the training and tools to implement and foster regionally feasible improvements to current vegetable production practices and supply chains This was achieved through: 1) greenhouse replicated experiments and demonstration trials in Northern, Central and Southern Vietnam; 2) four in-country workshops and 3) two Australian study tours for research and extension personnel Key highlights of the project have included: 1) Adaptation of technologies by both farmers and researchers to Vietnamese conditions; 2) Utilisation of hydroponic systems in both a research and demonstration trial context; 3) Enhanced capacity of Vietnamese research and extension personnel and 4) Economic analysis of protected cropping systems for tomatoes and cucumbers Executive Summary Vietnamese consumer demands for safe and high quality vegetables, have led to a reexamination of current production methods Protected cropping including rain shelters, net houses and greenhouse structures, provides one alternative system that can not only improve quality out-turn, facilitate counter-seasonal production but also lead to reduced pesticide usage and associated food safety concerns This project was designed to build capacity in the design and utilisation of such systems and the components of such systems eg hydroponic systems in a Vietnamese context The overall objective of this project was to provide Vietnamese scientists and extension specialists with the training and tools to implement and foster regionally feasible improvements to current vegetable production practices and supply chains The project was led by the Fruit and Vegetables Research Institute (FAVRI) with Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry (HUAF) and the Institute of Agricultural Sciences for South Vietnam (IAS) as the Vietnamese project partners NSW Department of Primary Industries (now Industry and Investment, NSW) was the Australian partner Key achievements of the project have included: • A series of trials (10 replicated and on-farm demonstration trials) were undertaken looking at a number of production aspects (including variety, growing media, method of nutrient application and irrigation) and comparing field and greenhouse production of tomatoes and cucumbers in Hanoi, Lam Dong and Hue This has enabled recommendations to be made regarding appropriate varieties and growing media for protected cropping systems • Vietnamese cocopeat quality was characterised (pH, salinity, colour, water holding capacity etc.), the water usage of different greenhouse media including coir was compared and recommendations were made for the improvement of QA procedures at a Vietnamese cocopeat supplier • Seven scientific and conference papers were published in Vietnamese and International journals • Supply chains were mapped for 1) tomatoes and tomato seedling production and 2) Metro vegetable supply chains from Dalat • • • • Capacity building of research and extension personnel particularly in the use of hydroponic systems, greenhouse design, postharvest management and GAP systems This included training in-country, ‘hands-on’ trial work, but also personnel undertook week study tours in Australia Adaptation and application of new technology and practices by Mr Nguyen Hong Phong, vegetable farmer and seedling producer from Lam Dong province By the end of the project this lead farmer was influencing the practices of others through the formation of a farmer group selling into Metro and the Saigon Co-opmart Technical expertise and assistance was also provided to a number of entrerprises including a cocopeat supplier, high technology greenhouse centres in Hanoi and Haiphong and farmer groups in Hue and Can Tho Four workshops attracting a total of 275 participants (research and extension personnel, provincial agricultural officers, farmers and other supply chain partners) were delivered in Ho Chi Minh, Ha Noi, Can Tho and Dalat The workshop covered protected cropping systems, supply chain management and Good Agricultural Practice (GAP) Introduction & Background Protected cropping systems provide vegetable farmers with the opportunity to produce high yielding, good quality crops with reduced pesticide inputs Our previous AusAID-CARD project (0016) focussed on development of a low-tech greenhouse system to enhance the productivity and sustainability of the Vietnamese vegetable industry The nethouse with runto-waste cocopeat system was shown to be an effective and cost effective model, however further optimisation and extension of this technology was required to facilitate successful adoption This project focused on providing the tools for optimising vegetable production in low-medium technology greenhouses and delivering high quality product to market This was achieved through formal and informal training initiatives including in-country workshops, intensive Australian based training programs for research and extension staff and a series of research demonstration trials This project uses a participatory research approach to foster uptake by both Vietnamese institutions and key stakeholders (farmers, extension agents, supply chain partners) The objectives of this project were to: Facilitate the wider implementation and adoption of protected cropping systems of low to medium technology (greenhouses/net houses) that require fewer chemical inputs through targeted research and extension activities; Examine current supply chain constraints and utilise quality assurance principles to implement targeted system improvements; Enhance Vietnamese R&D capacity in the areas of protected cropping systems, postharvest management and quality assurance systems Fostering links between growers, wholesalers, traders and researchers to increase the productivity and competitiveness of Vietnamese smallholder agriculture and related rural enterprises Progress to Date 5.1 Implementation Highlights Whilst details of achievements have been previously highlighted in milestone reports, this section revisits and summarises those key achievements 5.1.1 Protected cropping trials A series of replicated and demonstration trials were undertaken by researchers and extension project personnel in Hanoi, Hue and Lam Dong to compare protected cropping and traditional field based systems Experiments were undertaken to evaluate growing media, tomato and cucumber variety performance and the use of hydroponic systems This work produced publications in international and Vietnamese scientific literature (refer Milestone 7) The results from these trials also enabled recommendations in extension publications produced regarding the application of protected cropping systems (refer Milestone 8) Not only were tangible outputs in terms of both scientific papers and extension resources produced but research and extension personnel’s ability in undertaking robust, independent and well designed trial work was enhanced Photo 1: FAVRI hydroponic lettuce trial Photo 2: Demonstration trial Lam Dong 5.1.2 Evaluation of Vietnamese cocopeat Australian and European standards for measuring the physical and chemical characteristics of growing media were used to evaluate Vietnamese coir and compare it to other samples in the Australian marketplace Table shows the results from the heavy metal analysis undertaken for a range of different samples A commercial operation in the Mekong Delta was also visited and recommendations provided on how they could improve the QA aspects of their business Developing the market share for Vietnam coir products for use in the greenhouse and hydroponic industries requires an understanding of product use demands and focus on process management to consistently achieve product performance characteristics Sample type Source origin Sample of unknown origin Unknown Peat Exceed Galuku Coco Peat easy fill Vietnam Plant Best soil sponge Vietnam Mekong company Vietnam Mekong company Vietnam Richgro India Brunnings Easy Wetta Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Colour Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Greyed Orange Colour code Aluminium mg/kg 2.4* Arsenic mg/kg 3* Cadmium mg/kg 0.9* Chromium mg/kg 1* Copper mg/kg 0.9* Nickel mg/kg 1.3* Lead mg/kg 1.7* Selenium mg/kg 6.6* Zinc mg/kg 1.1* 166 D 1100