INVESTIGATION ON THE REDUCTION OF AGROCHEMICAL IN CULTIVATION OF FLOWERS AND ORNAMENTALS IN VIETNAM

From September 11 to 15, 2023, NVHBP and experts from the Wageningen University & Research, the Netherlands (https://www.wur.nl) had an investigation trip on the current status of chemical use in cultivating flowers and ornamental plants in Vietnam in order to advise appropriate solutions to help the Vietnamese floriculture develop safely and sustainably.

Realizing that this work requires cooperation from different parties, i.e. government; research and training units; enterprises and organizations that produce and trade horticulture utilities and especially the growers who directly use in the process of producing ornamental flowers, the delegation met with the Department of Crop Production – http://www.cuctrongtrot.gov.vn/, Plant Protection Department – https://www.ppd.gov.vn/  (under the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development – https://www.mard.gov.vn/), Faculty of Agronomy (https://nonghoc.vnua.edu.vn/) and Plant Protection – Vietnam Academy of Agriculture, Center for Research and Development of Ornamental Flowers – http://ceford.vn/ – under the Fruit and Vegetable Research Institute (www.favri.org.vn),  Dalat Flower Association – http://dfa.com.vn/,  farmers in Xuan Quan Flower Village, Hung Yen; reputable businesses in Da Lat such as Dalat Hasfarm (https://www.dalathasfarm.com/), Langbiang Farm (https://langbiangfarm.com.vn/), F1 Biotech (https://www.facebook. com/f1biotechdalat/)   and a number of growers in the area.

The parties had useful shares about the current situation in Vietnam: farmers have not been fully warned about the risks coming from plant protection chemicals, and pesticides in farming; labor protection in some places is still relatively sketchy; knowledge about using chemical is sometimes limited, so spraying is not scientific or safe.

Experts recommend to start with some model farms, applying agrochemical reduction processes seriously and accurately, and gradually replicating them on a larger scale. People need to be equipped with skills to use fertilizers and protect their health more thoroughly. May consider specialized training courses with certification to standardize this.

The parties agreed to actively collaborate with this program in the coming time, for a steady future of Vietnamese agriculture in general and the floriculture in particular.

Prepared by: Mai Hong – Vietnam Coordinator – The Netherlands and Vietnam Horticulture Business Platform (NVHBP).