The Better Life Farming initiative provides farmers with advanced solutions and technical advice to increase yield and quality. Photo Courtesy of Bayer Vietnam

ĐẮK LẮK – Hundreds of local smallholder coffee and durian farmers in the Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk will benefit from Bayer Vietnam’s Better Life Farming Alliance meant to provide them with access to innovative solutions and expert consultancy to enhance farming efficiency and harvest quality and empower them.

The launch off BLF, based on strong global and local partnerships to enable smallholders to get access to the knowledge, solutions and technologies they need, marks a significant step in Bayer Vietnam's commitment to promoting regenerative agriculture for key crops across the country.

Unlocking smallholder farmers’ full potential

As the demand for high-quality durian and coffee continues to rise, Vietnamese farmers find themselves at a crucial juncture.

While these crops present significant economic opportunities, they also pose substantial challenges, particularly due to climate change, leading to extreme weather, widespread pests, water shortages, and declining soil quality.

Regarding durian cultivation, the nationwide area dedicated to this crop has reached 150,000 ha. Despite this growth, the sector faces fragmentation, inconsistency in production and exports, posing risks to smallholder farmers.

The pivotal objectives outlined in the national strategy for developing key fruit crops by 2025 and 2030 by MARD emphasise the importance of prioritising comprehensive modern farming techniques in durian cultivation to improve output quality and effectively manage residues in the harvest.

These techniques include water-efficient irrigation, precise fertilisation, effective pest and disease control, and flower induction methodologies.

The strategy also aims to foster market development and promote product diversification.

Meanwhile, MARD’s plan for key industrial crops by 2030 envisions ensuring 40 per cent of Việt Nam's 660,000 ha of coffee lands, including 600,000 ha in the Central Highlands, adhere to global and regional production standards, elevating the value of the country’s coffee in the marketplace.

In response to these pressing challenges, farmers are increasingly adopting modern and sustainable agricultural practices that enhance quality and productivity while protecting the vitality and resilience of their soil and crops.

They are actively seeking to build connections with consumer markets to secure business opportunities and maximise profitability for their produce.

Given this context, the launch of Better Life Farming, with a focus on supporting coffee and durian farmers, has great relevance.

Built on Bayer Vietnam's longstanding public-private collaboration with the National Agricultural Extension Centre (NAEC) and the Western Highlands Agro-Forestry Scientific and Technical Institute, this initiative intends to address the growing demand for sustainable solutions and help smallholders fulfil their full potential.

Prior to the launch of BFL Vietnam on October 14, 2024, an MOU signing ceremony was held in Hà Nội to extend the strategic partnership between NAEC and Bayer Vietnam.

This partnership will focus on supporting the Government's national strategies for sustainable transformation and the development of key crops in Việt Nam.

Lê Quốc Thanh, general director of NAEC, said: "This partnership, which now includes not only rice but also durian and coffee, leverages NAEC's robust extension network and training capabilities at both the provincial and national levels.

“Together, we are committed to empowering farmers to adopt innovative practices that will improve their livelihoods, elevate the economic value of our agricultural sector, and meet international export standards, ultimately increasing the value of Vietnamese agricultural products on the global stage."

Better Life Farming, founded by Bayer, the International Finance Corporation, Netafim, and joined by Yara is a public-private alliance that continues to expand its network of global and local partners ranging from private players and governments to the agricultural value chain.

As the alliance broadens its reach, Better Life Farming welcomes new local and global partners who share a common goal of creating lasting impacts for farmers, addressing the needs of smallholder farmers through the entire value chain and transforming farming into a reliable and appealing vocation that ensures stable incomes, improved livelihoods and a better quality of life.

In Việt Nam, this initiative has successfully engaged private enterprises and local governmental entities to establish a comprehensive ecosystem to support farmers and drive social, economic and environmental sustainability. – VNS