Representatives exchange documents at the strategic partnership signing ceremony for the Việt Nam Agri-Food Innovation Programme (VAFIP) in Hà Nội on July 10. — Photo Courtesy of the organisers

HÀ NỘI — The Việt Nam Agri-Food Innovation Programme (VAFIP) for the 2026-30 period was officially launched in Hà Nội on Friday, establishing an open cooperation platform to drive sustainable development in the country's agricultural sector.

A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the programme was signed between the Youth Union of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, the Youth Federation of C.P. Việt Nam Livestock Joint Stock Company, and the Food Bank Việt Nam network.

Unlike conventional startup support schemes or competition-based programmes, VAFIP is designed as an open collaboration platform.

It aims to gather regulatory bodies, businesses, research institutes, universities, social organisations, investors, and youth forces to address practical challenges in the agri-food industry.

Rather than focusing on isolated ideas, the programme targets systemic issues, including enhancing agricultural value, implementing AI and digital transformation, reducing post-harvest losses, minimising food waste, utilising agricultural by-products, promoting a circular economy, cutting emissions, and adapting to climate change.

Under this framework, initiatives will be linked directly with businesses, experts, and local authorities to be researched, trialled, refined, and scaled up for practical application.

Youth-led innovation

A core focus of VAFIP is empowering the youth to lead innovation.

According to the programme’s coordinating committee, young people are not only quick to adopt AI, digital technologies, and modern production methods, but they are also highly adaptable, willing to take risks, and capable of connecting academic knowledge with real-world applications.

Through training, mentorship, expert networking, "Living Labs" experimentation, and commercialisation support, VAFIP will create an enabling environment for young minds to turn ideas into viable market solutions.

The initiative highlights a tripartite model combining State management, corporate resources, and social organisations.

Immediate actions were announced at the ceremony, including the second phase of the "C.P. Việt Nam - Journey for a Green Việt Nam" project, which targets planting 1.5 million trees by 2030.

In addition, a youth entrepreneurship support package consisting of 50,000 breeding chickens and 25 tonnes of animal feed was launched to provide sustainable livelihoods.

Nguyễn Tuấn Khởi, chairman of Food Bank Việt Nam, said VAFIP is built to be a bridge connecting the State, businesses, academia, and social organisations to discover, incubate, and bring innovations to life.

“Its success will not be measured by the number of projects alone, but by their practical value in solving real-world challenges in the agri-food sector."

Tạ Hồng Sơn, secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment’s Youth Union, said the Youth Union will consistently promote the role of young professionals across the industry, encouraging scientific research and technological application to build a modern, green, and sustainable agricultural sector.

With a strategic roadmap extending to 2030, VAFIP is set to cultivate a comprehensive innovation ecosystem across the entire agri-food value chain. — VNS