Safe Vegetable Production in Cambodia and Vietnam: Developing the HARE-Network to Enhance Farmer Income, Health, and the Local Environment
Target Countres: Cambodia and Vietnam
Principal Investigator: Cary J. Trexler, University of California, Davis
Collaborators:
- Johan Six, Glenn Young, Mark Van Horn, and David Miller, University of California, Davis
- Nguyen Quoc Vong, Nguyen Thi Bich Thuy, Pham Thi Huong, Pham Bao Duong, Pham Van Hung, and Thong Kong, Hanoi University of Agriculture, Vietnam
- Borarin Buntong, Asikin Yoeu, Lyda Hok, and Lor Lytour, Royal University of Agriculture, Cambodia
- Lam Thanh Hien, Phan Thi Giac Tam, Thai Anh Hoa, and Pham Thi Minh Tam, Nong Lam University, Vietnam
Project Description
The rapid economic and population expansion of Cambodian and Vietnam within the greater SE Asian region presents opportunities for impacting the livelihood of many people where horticulture remains an important undeveloped business sector supported by small farmers. Our goal is to empower small farmers (59% of whom are women) with integrated experiential education and training for sustainable vegetable production that limits postharvest losses, increases food safety, increases market access and, importantly, increases income. We have designed an innovative participatory approach to meet these goals by networking experts in horticulture production through marketing. The inclusiveness as stakeholders of farmers communes, regional universities, local governments and national communications companies in the network provides continuity needed for continuation of farmer outreach training and education beyond the lifetime of USAID HORT-CSRP funding. The successful completion of the project in Vietnam will serve as a model for implementation of the participatory action network in other, more challenging, countries like Cambodia and Laos with similar, but less developed, horticulture business sectors. Importantly, completion of this project will address essential capacity-building needs of Cambodia including an assessment of capabilities, research training, outreach development and promotion of communication between policy makers, universities and the agribusiness community. A direct impact from this project is that Cambodian and Vietnamese vegetable farmers will gain income.
