On March 14, the PPP Working Group on Fruits and Vegetables and the Viet Nam Sustainable Agriculture Partnership (PSAV) Secretariat, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, organized a conference on the implementation of the 2025 Food Innovation Hub Network (FIH-V) Plan in Viet Nam .
Established in 2010, the PPP Working Group on Fruits and Vegetables and PSAV are key initiatives within the agricultural sector. PSAV was formed under the World Economic Forum's (WEF) "New Vision for Agriculture" initiative, aiming for the 20-20-20 target: a 20% increase in productivity, a 20% reduction in poverty, and a 20% reduction in emissions.
The PPP Potato Sustainability Project, led by the National Agricultural Extension Center (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment) in collaboration with PepsiCo Foods Viet Nam and Syngenta Viet Nam , focuses on enhancing productivity, reducing environmental impact, and improving farmers' incomes. The project began in 2019 the Central Highlands and has since expanded significantly. From an initial 400 hectares, the cultivated area reached 1,700 hectares by 2024, with yields averaging 30-34 tons per hectare, considerably exceeding traditional farming methods.
Building on this success, the model expanded to Northern Viet Nam in the 2024-2025 Winter-Spring crop season, covering 320 hectares in provinces like Thanh Hoa and Hai Duong. The results were notable: yields increased to 23-26 tons per hectare, up by 8 tons per hectare compared to previous figures. Costs were reduced thanks to water savings (3,170 m³/ha), a reduction of two pesticide applications per season, and more efficient pesticide usage through drone technology (cutting water consumption by over ten times).
Currently, Viet Nam meets only 30-40% of its domestic potato demand, importing $134 million worth of fresh potatoes in 2023 from Australia, the U.S., Germany, the Netherlands, and China, making it the largest importer in the Asia-Pacific region. Expanding potato cultivation through the PPP model is a key strategy to enhance domestic supply and competitiveness.
Over 16 years, the sustainable potato production project has thrived by ensuring mutual benefits for all stakeholders in the value chain. Farmers and businesses work closely together, with enterprises aligning production with market demands, making farming more efficient and profitable.
According to Le Quoc Thanh, Director of the National Agricultural Extension Center, the sustainable potato value chain plays a crucial role in green agriculture and lays the foundation for the FIH-V initiative. He emphasized that agricultural extension services will continue to support this innovative model, ensuring its expansion and effectiveness. Future efforts will focus on standardizing guidelines and best practices, allowing for the widespread adoption of innovative, sustainable farming models across Viet Nam.