Welcome to the team, Thuy! Can you tell us a little about yourself and your experience?
I have over 20 years of experience working in different international organizations in the development sector. I started my career as a program officer for various projects funded by GIZ (German Corporation for International Cooperation). I worked on such GIZ projects in close collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Vietnam (MARD) for 13 years. Here, I gained experience developing tailor-cut solutions for issues related to sustainable agro-forestry management, farmer income, smallholder inclusion, responsible agrochemical use, and management. Following this, I worked with the Sustainable Trade Initiative (IDH), where I was a senior program officer for the sustainable spices program in Viet Nam. This greatly contributed to my experience in managing public-private partnerships, and in particular around monitoring and evaluating the implementation of public-private co-funded projects. I also acted as a coordinator for the European Spices Association and American Spice Trade Association to enhance cooperation and develop more effective sustainability standards.
Could you tell us a little about your new role as Coordinator for the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Vietnam (PSAV)? Why is this work important?
I am now the Coordinator for the Partnership for Sustainable Agriculture in Viet Nam (PSAV), which sits under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD). In this role, I work closely with MARD and PSAV's partners to help implement and co-develop a strategy for structuring governance, coordinating actions, fundraising, managing PSAV, and bringing on board relevant partners and stakeholders.
PSAV focuses on linking actors in the agricultural sector to share their experience and collaborate on value chain development of key agricultural commodities in Viet Nam through Public-Private Partnerships (PPP). PSAV has eight PPP Task Forces (TF), including Coffee, Tea, Vegetables and Fruits, Fisheries, Rice, Spices and Pepper, Livestock, and Agro-Chemicals, which engage 137 partner organizations from government agencies, companies, industry associations, research institutes, and non-governmental organizations. As a Coordinator, I am privileged to work closely with Grow Asia, MARD and PSAV's partners to develop a collaborative multi-stakeholder projects as jointly agreed by MARD and Grow Asia. I also look forward to working with PSAV’s Task Forces to contribute to national and global sustainable food security and safety while ensuring learnings are shared across the region.
What, in your perspective, are some of the key challenges facing Viet Nam's agriculture sector?
Climate change strongly affects Viet Nam's agricultural production, with saline intrusion and drought affecting rice cultivation and aquaculture industries. At the same time, rising sea levels submerge parts of the Mekong Delta, the country's largest agricultural region. Climate smart agricultural models and initiatives which enable efficient production, protection, and inclusion are necessary. To achieve this, all actors across different agricultural value chains need to engage in collaborative public-private programs that promote sustainable farming practices and responsible business and investment practices.
Additionally, Vietnamese small and medium enterprises face many challenges, such as limited investment in high and innovative technologies, while companies are impatient to meet high-end market requirements. It is important to effectively leverage public-private platforms where international buyers and local suppliers/companies are convened and committed to investing in sustainable sourcing in partnership with smallholder farmers to produce high-quality, value-added products.
What excites you most about PSAV and the Grow Asia network? What are your priorities for your first 100 days in this role?
The idea that I can contribute - through effective coordination, public and private partnerships, and fundraising – to sustainable agriculture development in Viet Nam – is very exciting. I plan to engage more potential partners to join the public and private partnership taskforces and seek their common interests to jointly develop co-funding projects.
I am also excited to learn more about the six Country Partnerships under Grow Asia and their challenges and solutions to managing their memberships. I look forward to creating synergies among PSAV, Grow Asia, and other partners to build more resilient, inclusive, and sustainable food systems in Asia.
Thuy can be reached at thuy@growasia.org. To learn more about Thuy, you can read her bio here.