ACIARin Vietnam January Tháng 1 2016

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NewsRegional workshop on beef markets and trade (p.2)Rice farming in the Mekong Delta – adapting to climate stresses (p.4)Retirement of Dr Nguyen Van Hao (p.6)Story of Mrs Luyen – the vegetables grower in Moc Chau (p.8)

Project updatesFirst forum round towards sustainably developed temperate fruits industry (p.12) Mid-term review of the rice-shrimp project (p16) Improving policies for forest plantations in Lao PDR and Vietnam (p.20)Enhancement of production of Acacia and Eucalypt veneer processing (p.22)Preliminary results of the oysters project (p.24)

Tin đào tạoJohn Allwright fellowship (p.26)John Dillon fellowship (p.28)Australia, full of love from my heart (p.30)

Tin tứcHội thảo quốc tế về thị trường bò thịt (p.3)

Trồng lúa ở Đồng bằng sông Cửu Long - ứng phó với biến đổi khí hậu (p.5)Tiến sĩ Nguyễn Văn Hảo nghỉ hưu (p.7)

Chuyện cô Luyến - nông dân trồng rau ở Mộc Châu (p.9)

Cập nhật từ dự ánDiễn đàn cấp tỉnh lần thứ nhất hướng tới phát triển bền vững

cây ăn quả ôn đới (p.13)Đánh giá giữa kỳ của dự án tôm-lúa (p.17)

Hoàn thiện chính sách rừng trồng ở Lào và Việt Nam (p.21)Tăng cường sản xuất ván mỏng từ gỗ keo và bạch đàn (p.23)

Kết quả bước đầu của dự án hàu (p.25)

Tin đào tạoChương trình học bổng John Allwright (p.27)

Chương trình học bổng John Dillon (p.29)Australia, tình yêu tràn đầy trong tim tôi (p.31)

No matter where they work, on the fields, in laboratories or in management positions, women have always been an essential part in ACIAR Vietnam programBất kể là ở vị trí nào, trên đồng ruộng, trong phòng thí nghiệm hay ở vị trí quản lý, phụ nữ luôn đóng vai trò quan trọng trong chương trình ACIAR ở Việt Nam

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From 30 November to 3 December 2015, an international workshop on Beef Markets and Trade in China and Southeast Asia was organised in Ben Tre province in Southern Vietnam to identify strategic constraints and opportunities for research, development and collaboration that will enhance development of inclusive and sustainable beef industries, markets and trade in China and Southeast Asia. The workshop was funded by ACIAR and co-organised by HELVETAS Vietnam, the University of Queensland and the People’s Committee of Ben Tre province.

The workshop attracted the participation of a large number of stakeholders from different countries including China, Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand, Indonesia and Timor-Leste, and also several Australian agencies including ACIAR, Department of Agriculture and Water Resources, Austrade, Meat & Livestock Australia, state government representatives from Queensland, Northern Territory, Western Australia, and ACIAR project participants and other beef industry experts and consultants.

The reports of crosscutting themes from country sessions suggested that beef markets and trade in China and Southeast Asia have undergone major change in ways that could not have been envisioned only a decade ago. Unprecedented economic growth and urbanisation has increased beef consumption in parts of the region. For example, between 2000 and 2013, average annual beef consumption increased by 8% in Vietnam and around 4% in China, while beef prices increased by 8% and 11% respectively.

The increases in consumption have not, however, seen a parallel response in cattle numbers. Over the same period, the cattle herd in China and Southeast Asia decreased (especially in China, which makes up 69% of cattle numbers) for several reasons including increasing opportunity costs of labour in countries that experienced broad-based growth; large scale farm mechanisation that have reduced the need for draught cattle; and farmers selling cattle to take advantage of high prices. In a regional cattle industry dominated by smallholders, the supply response to rising prices has been muted – especially for cow-calf

production – compared to other more commercialised livestock industries including pigs and chickens.

These supply–demand settings have generated several significant trends. While cattle numbers have stagnated (-0.3%), turnoff numbers and beef production have increased (1.9% and 2.5% respectively), indicating higher turnoff rates and increased carcass weights as proxies for gradual industry productivity. While regional beef industries are dominated by smallholders and individual household actors, there has been several hotspots of industry growth – especially in the feedlot sector and other downstream sectors.

Most importantly, there has been a major increase in the trade of cattle and beef. The volume of beef officially imported into China, Vietnam and Indonesia increased from approximately 100,000 tonnes in 2008 to 430,000 tonnes in 2013. Another one million tonnes entered China from India, Brazil and the US through informal channels in 2014. These countries formally imported more than 900,000 cattle, while about 300,000 more, mainly from Myanmar, crossed into China and traversed Thailand, Laos, Cambodia and then entered Vietnam through a myriad of established and opportunistic trade routes.

The experts agreed that these evolving market and trade settings have major implications for disease and bio-security risks associated with livestock trading, consumer access to red meat protein, food price inflation, and rural development. At the same time, regional market and trade development patterns have a direct, but largely unknown or unquantified, effect on markets for Australian cattle and/or beef.

The participants of the workshop also discussed and identified key gaps and challenges in the areas of smallholder involvement in the industry, regional integration and cooperation, biosecurity and accuracy of data and statistics. These will shape ideas and activities of future projects, as well as the short and long-term priorities of these countries.

Regional workshop on beef markets and trade

International experts and policymakers attending the regional workshop on beef markets and trade in Ben Tre province, VietnamCác chuyên gia quốc tế và các nhà hoạch định chính sách tham dự hội thảo quốc tế về thị trường bò thịt ở tỉnh Bến Tre, Việt Nam

By Pham Luong, HELVETAS Swiss Intercooperation

For further information, please contact Dr Pham Luong <Luong.Pham@helvetas.org>

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Promising rice varieties and innovative farm technologies that could help farmers in the Mekong Delta Region (MDR) adapt to crucial climate challenges were presented in a workshop on 14 September 2015 at Daewoo Hotel, Hanoi, Vietnam. These rice farming technologies were identified through an Australian Centre for International Agricultural Research (ACIAR) project in which farmer field trials were conducted in An Giang, Bac Lieu, Hau Giang provinces and Can Tho City over 4 years.

The workshop participants were Dr Le Quoc Doanh, Vice Minister of the Ministry of Agricultural Research and Development (MARD), Vietnam, Mr Layton Pike, Australian Deputy Ambassador to Vietnam, representatives from policy and planning ministries, project proponents and partners, and donors.

Vietnam’s rice granary, the MDR accounts for half of the country’s annual rice production, but rice farmers in the region have been battered by varying climate change impacts like sea level rise (SLR), which causes salt-water intrusion in rice paddies. This impacts on the sustainability of the country’s rice sector.

The workshop featured detailed results of the 4-year project: Climate Change Affecting Land Use in the Mekong Delta: Adaptation of Rice-based Cropping Systems (CLUES) funded by ACIAR and implemented by the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI), together with its Vietnamese and Australian research partners.

‘The interdisciplinary approach adopted by the CLUES Project—encompassing hydrology, plant breeding, crop management and socio-economic approaches—yielded a range of tangible results on future risks stemming from sea level rise as well as possible response strategies in terms of adaptation and mitigation in

Rice farming in the Mekong Delta – adapting to climate stresses

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rice-based systems of the delta,’ says Reiner Wassmann, project leader and IRRI coordinator for climate change research.

Adjudged to be ‘high quality’ by external reviewers, the project generated the following research outputs and results, among others:

• The impacts of SLR have been mapped in a very high resolution depicting spatial and seasonal patterns of future flooding and salinity intrusion risks. With improved varieties, and adjusted crop management strategies, these maps can be used for targeted technology changes in the rice production systems of the delta.

• Rice varieties that are high-yielding, have a short growth duration, and are tolerant to salinity and being submerged were developed, field-tested, and submitted for varietal release (2014).

• The alternate wetting and drying irrigation technique, which is simple and not expensive, holds high potential as an adaptation and mitigation strategy. It saves on water use for rice production by 25% and reduces methane emission in rice paddies by up to 50%.

• Salinity-tolerant, short-growth duration and high-yielding varieties could give higher yield and replace traditional rice varieties Mot Bui Do in the shrimp-rice system in the saline zones of Bac Lieu.

• The project has yielded new data on emission and its mitigation for rice production as one of the key areas within the Vietnamese greenhouse gas inventory.

Building on previous work undertaken by IRRI and its Vietnamese and Australian research partners, the CLUES Project aimed to increase the adaptive capacity of rice production systems in the MDR and to provide farmers and extension agencies with technologies and knowledge that will improve food security, not only in the region, but globally as well, withVietnam being the second largest rice producer in the world.

The workshop also served as a platform for feedback from various stakeholders on how the research findings can be widely disseminated, and the outreach and exit strategy of the CLUES Project were refined.

To find out more about these important project results which may help curb the climate challenges confronting Vietnam’s rice industry, visit the CLUES website at the following:

http://irri.org/networks/climate-change-affecting-land-use-in-the-mekong-delta

For further information, please contact Dr Ngo Dang Phong <n.phong@irri.org>

By Ngo Dang Phong, Crop and Environmental Sciences Division, IRRI

Vice Minister Le Quoc Doanh delivering a speech at the workshopThứ trưởng Lê Quốc Doanh phát biểu tại hội thảo

Dr Nguyen Van Hao recently retired after many years of service to aquaculture research and development in Vietnam and the region. Prior to retirement he served as the Director of Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 2 (RIA2) in Ho Chi Minh City, where he built a strong program of research. He was also responsible for developing links and partnerships with local and international agencies that underpinned a series of successful research programs. Dr Hao was well known outside of Vietnam, where he played an important role in managing fisheries in the Mekong.

During the time I have worked with Dr Hao, I have been most impressed by his commitment to develop and inspire young researchers. He has been responsible for mentoring successive generations of researchers who are now progressing to important management and leadership roles. His foresight in successional planning has left RIA2 and aquaculture in good shape.

One of Dr Hao’s final international collaborative projects was in partnership with ACIAR. The rice-shrimp project team will miss his leadership. Team members from University of New South Wales, Can Tho University, Cuu Long Rice Research Institute (CLRRI), Griffith University, RIA2 and Charles Sturt University have had a good time working under the leadership of Dr Hao. He has a ‘let’s get the job done’ attitude that has inspired the team to work hard towards meeting the project’s goals. Although retired, he has maintained his involvement in the rice-shrimp project to gradually handover all responsibilities and leadership to Dr Sang and other staff at RIA2.

The rice-shrimp project was developed from Dr Hao’s vision to improve the production of rice and shrimp by a modified farm design. The project team’s goal is to realize his vision as we move into the last two years of the project. We pay tribute to Dr Hao for his decades of dedication to aquaculture development in Vietnam and wish him well in his retirement. He will remain our friend and an inspiration to work towards success!

Retirement of Dr Nguyen Van Hao

By Jes Sammut, New South Wales University (UNSW)

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Dr Hao retired after decades of service to aquaculture and fisheries in Vietnam and the regionTS Hảo nghỉ hưu sau nhiều năm cống hiến cho sự nghiệp nuôi trồng thủy sản và nghề cá của Việt Nam và khu vực

Before joining this project, what did you do? Why did you join the project?

Before, I used to grow mostly maize and bean. There were also vegetables, but the volume was small. I grew vegetables to sell and to eat. Then, one time, I was sent by the commune to join a class about safe vegetables held by the province government, and I realized its importance and potential. From that, I hit upon the idea of forming a small group to produce safe vegetables. At the same time, the off-seasonal vegetables project started to run in Moc Chau. So I decided to join the project, thus focusing on off-seasonal vegetables. At first there were only 19 members.

When you first grew safe off-seasonal vegetables, what challenges did you encounter?

Challenges availed, but the most difficult task was to make people believe in this business. At the beginning, people‘s mindset and custom were very hard to change. And they were also afraid that these vegetables would not sell. Even government officers in the communes showed no support. When I held a training class for farmers, the head of the commune even locked the commune hall, not allowing us to

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Story of Mrs Luyen – the vegetables grower in Moc Chau

By Dinh Thi Huyen Tram

Mrs Luyen doing farm works at her family gardenCô Luyến đang làm rau ở vườn nhà

Liking agricultural products to market, enhancing their value and improving smallholder’s livelihood in North West Vietnam is one of ACIAR program’s priorities. In recent years, through researching, ACIAR has successfully established value chains for several agricultural products of this area, which, despite having potentials, still face many difficulties. One of ACIAR projects here has helped Moc Chau farmers to increase their income by selling off-seasonal vegetables to some supermarkets in Hanoi, taking the first step towards the establishment of Moc Chau safe-vegetables brand. Mrs Nguyen Thi Luyen, leader of Luu Luyen cooperative in Moc Chau, Son La province is one of the contributing factors to the success of this project. Below is a small talk between Mrs Luyen and ACIAR staff in January 2016, in which she shared about the challenges she had to face as well as her effort to overcome them.

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use the venue. It was very difficult, but I was still determined to do it. At the beginning I even had to use my own house as collateral to borrow from the bank, using the money to buy processing equipment and a truck to transport vegetables.

When we first switched to producing safe vegetables it was very different, since the process is stricter and more complicated. Right at the beginning, soil and water samples must be tested. Only when the chemical level is lower than the acceptable level can our land be certified to be safe-vegetable producing land. When applying fertilizers and plant protection chemicals, we have to use the right types (listed in Ministry of Agricultural and Rural Development’s approval list) and amounts at the right time.

Before we only had to grow vegetables, but now we also have to practice careful record-keeping. When using a fertilizer or chemical, we have to note down its name, code, producer, outlet, manufacturing date and the detailed application process. In addition, each household has a farmer code. I have to record the codes when collecting vegetables so that later I can trace back to growers if needed. It may sound simple, but at the beginning it took a lot of time. In the first seven or eight months, the project staff and I had to communicate, encourage, motivate and follow people closely so that they could get used to the new method. Now they are proficient in record keeping.

How did the project help you during that time?

Firstly, the project helped my group to grow and test potential vegetables in my own garden. Then the project also provided support in techniques and materials, such as helping to build plastic houses or sponsoring visit trips for people to go, observe and learn about growing techniques. The project even sent technicians to the field to guide and supervise our farmers closely. With the project’s assistance in techniques and management, we were able to get the VIETGAP certification for safe vegetables.

The project also helped me to connect to buyers at the beginning. After our brand was established I was able to look for customers by myself. When our work bore results, it was obvious that there was a significant improvement compared to before. People saw that and more and more asked to join, so the cooperative gradually expanded. At the beginning there were 19 households with 6.7 hectares, now our cooperative has 38 members with 14 hectares.

What are the differences you see now compared to before the project was started?

After joining the project, people’s livelihood has been enhanced significantly. For example, before, 1000 m2 of land only resulted in 10-15 million VND profit per year. Now it must bring about 50 or 60 million. Before, there were two or three pro-poor households in the cooperative; now many have income of 12-13 million per month.

As for me and my family, before I had to borrow money from the bank, but now I have paid off all of my debt, renovated my house and have a new car. The project creates a lot of jobs. For example, in addition to family members, every year I have to hire three more people to work.

After Luu Luyen cooperative, do you have any plan for the near future?

At present, I am proposing to expand this vegetable-growing model to four Thai groups in my commune. I am also planning to establish a ‘Club for ex-prisoners’, which will gather ex-prisoners to form a vegetable growing group. People returning from prisons or detention centers often suffer greatly from inferiority complex. It is difficult for them to assimilate into the community again, and without help from others they are prone to reoffending. I want to form this group to create jobs for them as well as help them to get rid of their inferiority complex and re-enter our community. I think despite being old, I have heart, and I can do it.

After the success of the cooperative, is there any advice or suggestion that you want to mention?

Regarding advice, there is nothing much to offer. I just want to say that the support and assistance from government bodies in communes and districts are needed for the success of safe vegetable production. You cannot just give strict orders when working with farmers, you need to communicate and motivate people to change their customs and way of thinking.

Thank you very much. We wish you and the project a successful new year.

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Mrs Luyen sorting vegetable with cooperative membersCô Luyến đang phân loại rau cùng thành viên hợp tác xã

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Within the framework of the Project AGB/2012/060 ‘Improving smallholder incomes in the north-western highlands of Vietnam by increasing access and competitiveness in regional temperate and subtropical fruit markets’ the first provincial forum among a series of planned forums on temperate fruit (TF) were organised in Son La and Lao Cai last September. Directed towards cooperative actions to sustainably exploit the local specific advantageous climatic conditions for temperate fruit development, the first provincial forum aimed to identify the main opportunities and challenges facing smallholder farmers in TF industry and possible options for overcoming these challenges.

About 50 participants, including provincial and district decision makers, extension officers, producers, collectors and traders, attended the forum. Presentations by the project’s researchers and discussions by participants confirmed the strong will of local authorities and people in developing TF. In addition to restoration and fruitful exploitation of the existing 2,000 ha and 3,400 ha (mostly of plum, pear and peaches) in Lao Cai and Son La respectively, both provinces have set up priorities for extending the area and diversity of varieties of TF but are currently experiencing difficulties in sourcing planting material.

First forum round towards sustainably developed temperate fruits industry

By Pham Thi Vuong1, Pham Thi Sen2, Oleg Nicetic3

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Tam Hoa plum is the major temperate fruit in Son La provinceMận Tam Hoa là loại quả ôn đới chủ yếu ở tỉnh Sơn La

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Although differences between the two provinces exist, discussions ended up with unanimous conclusions that both Son La and Lao Cai have good opportunities and suitable conditions for further developing TF. While Son La can increase the supply to a range of large Vietnamese city markets as well as export to neighbouring countries, Lao Cai has the advantage of being able to produce high quality fruit and can obtain a high price by selling to tourists at their local markets and selling any surplus to Hanoi markets. However, a limiting factor for extension of plum production in Lao Cai is that fruit ripens later than in Son La and at the same time that plums ripen in China. Opportunities for increasing production can be in processing plums and selling them to tourists in Bac Ha and Sa Pa all year. High profit (2-3 times higher) from TF compared to conventional food crops such as rice and maize is an important driver for farmers to extend the fruit area.

The main challenges to TF in the region, as pointed out at the forums include:

- Small scale of farms and scattering plots

- Low and un-uniform quality due to poor plant management and post-harvest technologies.

- Low diversity of fruit types and varieties, e.g. most of the current 3,400 ha of the existing TF area in Son La is for Tam Hoa Plum.

- Poor seedling quality: Over 60% of the seedlings used are farm-derived which have never been subjected to quality monitoring and control.

- Undeveloped links to market and links between stakeholders: Lao Cai at the moment relies mostly on the highly profitable but limited sized local ‘tourist’ markets, while Son La sells 100% of its green and a small amount (up to 10%) of its ripened plums to China. In both provinces, the deals are made without contracts between stakeholders along supply chains, and prices are highly volatile.

To achieved sustainable development of TF industries in the provinces, participants agreed that the priorities for project intervention are as follows:

For both provinces (i) to improve capacity in plant management and postharvest through implementing innovative outreach strategies (ii) to promote the use of quality seedlings through strengthening capacity for seedling producers and improving awareness of farmers in the importance of seedling quality, and (iii) to diversify varieties and types of TF towards effective exploitation of local climatic advantages and supply windows of TF from China and other regions.

For Lao Cai specifically, as local sales to tourists will remain the main marketing opportunity for coming years and because farms are both small scale and scattered, production and postharvest skills need to be improved in order to supply a

wider range of quality temperate fruit varieties to prolong the season in which fruit products are available to tourists. Development of a trade mark is not currently a priority because the excellent reputation of Bac Ha plums provides access to the premium market.

For Son La specifically, due to both green and ripened plums having good market opportunities, it is necessary to conduct a study to define and map the most suitable micro-locations for investing into high quality ripened plums as well as develop a specific brand for this product. The remaining areas can be allocated to green plum production. Specific technologies and production recommendations should be developed separately for production of high quality ripened plums and green plums. In Son La province the project will facilitate processes to link private companies involved in the seedling industry, fruit trade and processing with local government and farmers. The project will also facilitate the formation of farmer groups and strengthening of existing farmer organisations.

1 Plant Protection Research Institute2 Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute3 University of Queensland

For more information, please contact Dr Pham Thi Sen <phamthisenprc@gmail.com>

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ACIAR Project SMCN/2010/083, ‘Improving the sustainability of rice-shrimp farming systems in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam’, underwent a mid-term review in October 2015 to evaluate progress and consider variations to the activities and milestones. Dr Tran Dinh Luan and Dr Gamini Keerthisinghe reviewed the project. Twenty-six people attended the first and third day of the meeting, representing the implementing agencies and stakeholders, and 18 farmers from Hoa My Commune in Cai Nuoc District co-hosted the site visit with the project team on the second day. The program enabled the team to formally present the research findings on Day 1, and then show the reviewers the field trials on Day 2. The final day was used for interviews, project planning discussions and feedback from the reviewers, which was positive and uplifting for the project team.

The project’s overall goal is to test the design of rice-shrimp farming systems developed by Research Institute for Aquaculture No 2 (RIA2) under a previous Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development (MARD) project. Rice-shrimp farming has become increasingly difficult in parts of the Mekong due to increasing soil and water salinity. The research has investigated risk factors for rice-shrimp farming, described pond and rice field processes, and generated much needed environmental and farm management data.

One of the 18 farms used for the field trials showing plots used to test different varieties of rice and soil treatments1/18 trang trại tham gia những thử nghiệm về các giống lúa và phương pháp xử lý đất

Australian Project Leader, Associate Professor Jes Sammut, said ‘The project faced challenges with an unusually long dry period and erratic rainfall during the rice-growing season. This led to higher than normal soil and water salinity at the study site. But the team has gathered valuable data on the risk factors for rice and shrimp production. We are moving towards a more comprehensive understanding of processes that benefit and limit rice and shrimp production in the Mekong Delta.’

The Vietnam Project Coordinator, Dr Nguyen Van Hao, said ‘Farming shrimp and rice can be very difficult without the right farm design. The MARD designs we are testing are intended to improve the success of both rice and shrimp. We want to give farmers advice that is scientifically validated, hence our project.’

RIA2 has led the shrimp component of the project. The Cuu Long Rice Research Institute (CLRRI) has coordinated field trials on rice varieties, and Can Tho University has led the soil component. The Vietnamese partners are working closely with the University of New South Wales, Griffith University and Charles Sturt University team members from Australia. ‘Our project is strong because we work as a team; we work

By Jes Sammut, New South Wales University (UNSW)

Mid-term review of the rice-shrimp project

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together regardless of our discipline, nationality or agency background,’ Dr Hao said at the meeting.

The research showed that measuring ‘soil-water salinity’ in the rice plant root zone, rather than just relying on standard measures of salinity, was very important to understanding the effects of salinity on rice. The team also compiled a large database of soil and water quality, shrimp health and production practices that are being analyzed to identify associations between environment and management factors and farm productivity.

The project is also using stable isotope analysis to develop a better understanding of the contributions of rice and shrimp to the production system by describing nutrient pathways. The lack of a rice crop in the first year made it difficult to complete the stable isotope work, but the project team will soon gain data from a more recent rice crop and also from trials at a new site in 2016.

The research also showed that the rice-farming system already has high nitrogen concentrations and adequate phosphorus. The system does not require fertilizer, at least for the area where the work was undertaken. This means farmers can increase the profitability of the farming system by reducing or eliminating fertilizer. Laboratory-based studies on leaching salinity from soils from the study site have underpinned field trials to investigate enhanced salt leaching practices. The results so far suggest that with sufficient water supply and better water management practices, farmers could better control soil salinity.

A Bayesian Belief Network (BBN) was created for the project as a framework for conducting research. Data for the BBN came from stakeholder interviews, expert input and data from project trials. The BBN has helped to identify key risk factors

for rice and shrimp farming, and also provided knowledge that will be used to redesign field experiments to test better management practices.

The reviewers praised the project team for the contribution to knowledge generated by the field trials, and the positive impacts of the capacity building activities of the project. The capacity building activities included field and laboratory training for soil and water studies, and developing skills in building BBNs. The training has strengthened the research capability of the team and increased data quality.

Luu Duc Dien from RIA2 was awarded a John Allwright Fellowship under the project to undertake PhD studies at Griffith University under the supervision of Professor Michele Burford and Associate Professor Jes Sammut from UNSW.

On recommendation from the reviewers, the project team selected a new study site in Ca Mau in December 2015 with assistance from DARD staff. Trials at Hoa My Commune will continue, and new trial sites are likely to be developed on farms in the Tan Bang Commune in Thoi Binh District. The reviewers also noted that the team had created a good scientific platform for more refined and focused trials in 2016.

Dr Hao retired in September 2015 and is working with Associate Professor Sammut to help handover project coordination to Dr Sang, the new Director of RIA2. ‘The project team is very grateful to Dr Hao for his commitment to this project and his efforts in efficiently managing and implementing our project activities. We wish him well in his retirement and we will endeavor to help achieve his goal of more sustainable farming practices for farmers in Vietnam,’ said Associate Professor Jes Sammut at the close of the mid-term review.

For more information, please contact A/Prof Jes Sammut <j.sammut@unsw.edu.au>

Dr Hao and Dr Chris Barlow (ACIAR Fisheries Program Manager) go back a long way through their involvement in fisheries management in the MekongTS Hảo và TS Chris Barlow (Giám đốc chương trình thủy sản ACIAR) biết nhau từ rất lâu thông qua việc tham gia quản lý thủy sản ở vùng sông Mekong

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By Huynh Thu Ba, University of Melbourne

The Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR) held a planning meeting in Vientiane on 10 November, 2015 for a new, three-year forestry project, ‘Improving policies for forest plantations to balance smallholder, industry and environmental needs in Lao PDR and Vietnam’. This policy project is one of more than 25 development research projects in Lao PDR and one of 18 research initiatives in Vietnam that are currently being managed by ACIAR. The project has a total funding of $999,866 AUD and will commence its activities in January 2016.

The workshop was opened by H.E. Mr John Williams, Australian Ambassador to Laos, and Associate Professor Houngphet Chanthavong, Dean of the Faculty of Forest Science, National University of Laos. The meeting represented an opportunity for key project partners to discuss the project’s expected outcomes and challenges.

Lao PDR and Vietnam have policies to support the expansion of tree plantations to meet economic development, poverty alleviation and landscape restoration goals. These policies have led to a spectrum of plantation development approaches of varying degrees of success and controversy. The Lao 2020 Forest Sector Strategy aims to increase forest cover to enhance rural livelihoods and safeguard environmental services such as water resources, partly through the planting of 500,000ha of high-value or fast-growing trees by smallholders and corporate investors. The strategy envisaged commercial tree plantations by farmers, villagers and investment by companies to provide export and domestic products. Under these policies, some 113,000 ha of plantation have been established for timber production by smallholders and corporations.

In contrast, policies in Vietnam have focused on allocation of land for plantations to small holders. This has resulted in the establishment of 3.5 million ha of plantations, including

1.7 million ha managed by smallholders. These make a major contribution to the livelihoods of more than 1.4 million families, support new industry development and provide a range of environmental and social benefits. The Government of Vietnam seeks to generate greater benefits to smallholders and industry from their plantations, including supply to the furniture industry and improved environmental sustainability.

The project will build on the long-standing research collaboration of the project partners on the economic impacts of plantation development, and aims to provide policy options that achieve national goals for forest plantation industry development in Lao PDR and Vietnam through improved linkages between commercial investment and smallholder production.

It will also improve the capacity of researchers in Lao PDR and Vietnam in economic and social analyses, policy evaluation, spatial assessment of ecosystem goods and services and landscape planning and design, and there will also be improved capacity in policy implementers, policy makers, local authorities and educators on policy research, formulation and implementation.

Another key feature of this project is the extensive partnership between researchers and policy makers in the three countries of Laos, Vietnam and Australia, including the National University of Laos and the National Agriculture and Forestry Research Institute (NAFRI); the Vietnam Academy of Forest Sciences (VAFS), the Institute for Policy and Strategy in Agriculture and Rural Development (IPSARD), and Hue University of Agriculture and Forestry and MARD; and the Australian National University (ANU), University of Melbourne, and University of Southern Queensland.

Improving policies for forest plantations in Lao PDR and Vietnam

PROJECT UPDATES<aciar.gov.au>

For more information, please contact Ms Huynh Thu Ba <thubahuynh@gmail.com>

Project planning meeting in Vientiane, November 2015 Hội thảo lập kế hoạch Dự án tại Viên Chăn, Lào, tháng 11 năm 2015

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Enhancement of production of Acacia and Eucalypt veneer processing

Visits

From 28 - 30 January 2015, Mr Adam Redman visited the Vietnamese Academy of Forest Sciences (VAFS) in Hanoi, focusing on the state of play of current activities and the actions required to meet the goals of future project activities. The VAFS team was trained in the use of Excel to perform statistical analysis on research data and data presentation for reporting.

From 15 – 20 March 2015, Dr Barbara Ozarska and Mr Gerry Harris from the University of Melbourne, and Mr Adam Redman from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of Queensland (DAF), with VAFS staff, surveyed four small veneer peeling enterprises in the Yen Bai and Bac Giang provinces and performed veneer peeling recovery and veneer quality trials. The surveys were used to train VAFS staff to continue with subsequent surveys and provided valuable information on the inefficiencies experienced by these small scale operators, and areas to focus research attention.

From 30 May to 5 June 2015, project leader Dr Henri Bailleres visited Vietnam to work with project partners: VAFS, CAP (Centre of Agricultural Policy) and VFU (Vietnam Forestry University) to review and assess activities of each component and discuss further project activities. During this time, Dr Henri also visited some peeling households in Bac Giang province and with Vietnam Farmers' Union in order to assess the training needs of farmers.

Surveying and lathe modifying

After the first survey with University of Melbourne and DAF, the VAFS team continued to conduct surveys of six other peeling households in Bac Giang and Yen Bai provinces in order to evaluate peeling recovery and veneer quality. The main finding of these surveys is that veneer thickness variation is the biggest impediment to veneer quality and the quality of rollers is one of the main factors that is leading to veneer thickness variation. Consequently, one lathe of a peeling household in Bac Giang province was selected to modify the roller system. After installation of a new roller system, the thickness variation of veneer has been significantly improved.

Training

Two young VAFS researchers, Mr Viet and Mr Thang, travelled to the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of Queensland for a training course on primary solid wood and veneer processing, data analysis and report writing from 15 to 28 February 2015.

From 3 to 6 November 2015, young VAFS researchers Mr Manh and Mr Phong travelled to the National University of Laos to participate in veneer processing training provided by experts from DAF.

A two day training course was conducted at Am Ha, Ha Hoa District, Phu Tho Province between 28 and 29 October, 2015. The objectives of the course were to teach the basic techniques of peeled veneer production and plywood production to small household businesses in order to increase the quality of peeled veneers and plywood. The main trainers were Dr Henri Baliieres and Mr Eric Littee form DAF. There were 40 trainees, two of which were young VAFS researchers, 26 trainees came from veneer production and plywood production households, five trainees from Am Ha commune staff and six participants from the Vietnamese Farmer Association.

On 9 December, 2015 a training workshop on Acacia and Eucalypt plywood quality control was conducted at VAFS. More than 30 participants from plywood enterprises, researchers of VAFS, lecturers and final year students of VFU attended. The trainers were experts from VAFS, VFU and DAF. The training provided reviewed Vietnamese and global standards on veneer log and veneer classification and presented proposed veneer log grade for acacia and eucalypt plantation of Vietnam. Veneer drying, quality control in veneer and plywood manufacturing and standards for testing plywood quality were also presented at the training workshop.

1 Vietnam Academy Forestry Sciences2 Department of Agriculture and Fisheries of Queensland

For more information, please contactMr Nguyen Thanh Tung <thanhtungcnr@yahoo.com> orMr Adam Redman < Adam.Redman@daf.qld.gov.au>

By Nguyen Thanh Tung1 and Adam Redman2

PROJECT UPDATES<aciar.gov.au>

Survey team working at peeled veneer householdNhóm khảo sát làm việc với hộ gia đình sản xuất

Introduction of veneer quality assessmentGiới thiệu quy trình đánh giá chất lượng ván gỗ mỏng

The project ‘Enhancing bivalve production in northern Vietnam and Australia’ aims to increase hatchery-based bivalve production in Vietnam and New South Wales, Australia, expanding opportunities for coastal communities to rear bivalve mollusks.

In July 2015, the project suffered a major setback in the form of a strong typhoon that struck Hai Phong and Quang Ninh, causing severe road flooding especially in Van Don, Viet Hai and Xuan Dam communes where oysters were being cultured. The flood caused a salinity drop of 8-10% in surface layer seawater and, together with sandy soil and wastes from the flooded areas that flowed to the oyster grow-out sites, caused mass mortality of oysters in Cat Ba and scattered losses through Van Don.

Despite these challenges, project staff have made significant progress milestones in each period. Replicated rearing systems were installed and operated effectively to produce more than 100 families. These oyster families were then grown out in two different sites: Cat Ba, Hai Phong and Van Don, Quang Ninh Province. After 7-8 months grow-out (up to August/September 2015), 100 families of oysters reached reproductive maturity, and 70 of them were selected to be parents to produce families of the first selection generation (G1). To date, approximately 150 oyster families have been generated using the above selected parents, from which 90 families have spat settled ready for grow-out trials.

The hatchery recently conducted four breeding events, and each produced up to 3.8 million cultch set spat. During grow-out, cultch spat have shown better growth performance with a larger and more even size than single seed oysters. A mass mortality in single seed oysters occurred around the start of last summer. However, more investment in culture systems

By Vu Van In1, Vu Thi Ngoc Lien2, Phan Thi Van3, Wayne O’Cornor4

and regular grading during grow-out will help improve survival of single seed in the coming season. The culture environment and oyster health continue to be monitored under new regimes implemented during this program. Training classes on hatchery management, food safety and mollusc health management have been implemented and staff from the Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 1 (RIA1) were trained by Australian experts both in Vietnam and Australia. As a result, the capacity of project and RIA1’s staff, as well as other related fisheries organizations, e.g. Research Institute for Aquaculture No. 3, has significantly increased.

In Australia, research has continued in a number of areas. An investigation into pipi disease has uncovered a previously unknown parasite that is undergoing further investigation for definitive identification. Work on the reproductive condition of flat oysters has been finalised and is being prepared for publication, while studies on improved settlement techniques using catecholamine have been completed. Studies on the reproductive condition of razor clams are due to commence this summer.

For the coming months, the project will continue to rear spat and then transfer them to grow-out sites in Van Don to produce mature families used for oyster selective breeding in Vietnam. Selection for the second generation should be done based on fast growth, survival and condition index with the expectation of a 10% increase in growth rate and 5-7% in survival after each selection generation. Quality assurance and identification of marketability/quality criteria will be conducted. An environment monitoring report and manual for laboratory quality assurance have been drafted and will be released in coming months.

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PROJECT UPDATES<aciar.gov.au>

Preliminary results of the oysters project

Oyster farming in Bai Tu Long BayNuôi hàu ở Vịnh Bái Tử Long

For further information, please contact Ms Vu Thi Ngoc Lien <ngoclien@ria1.org>

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TRAINING CORNER<aciar.gov.au>

We are delighted to announce that the results for ACIAR’s John Allwright Fellowship and John Dillon Fellowship have been released. Let’s welcome our new fellows.

This year, two awardees of this fellowship, who were selected from 13 applicants, are Ms Le Thi Hang Nga (NOMAFSI) and Ms Nguyen Thi Thu Hien (VWU). Both of these two outstanding female researchers have proved their ability, commitment and dedication through their long time work on ACIAR projects. Ms Nga has already started her study journey in Australia, arriving there on 29 December2015. Ms Hien is expected to go to Australia in July 2016.

Mrs Nguyen Thi Thu Hien is an experienced researcher of the Vietnam Women’s Union (VWU), whose work is to conduct research on gender and women’s movements with particular focus on women from ethnic or religious minorities. She is currently working as a coordinator for ACIAR project AGB/2012/059, ‘Towards more profitable and sustainable vegetable production systems in north-western Vietnam’. In addition, she is has also been involved in three other ACIAR projects since 2008.

Taking a master course on gender studies in Australia, Mrs Hien expects to learn, apply and spread new knowledge, skills and methods in this field for the benefit and development of VWU in particular and of Vietnam in general.

Ms Le Thi Hang Nga, who comes from Northern Mountainous Agriculture and Forestry Institute (NOMAFSI), has been working on the ACIAR project AGB/2012/060, ‘Improving smallholder incomes in the north-western highlands of Vietnam by increasing access and competitiveness in regional temperate and subtropical fruit markets’, since 2011. Working as a field coordinator and social researcher for the project, she has broadened her knowledge about the practices, culture and beliefs of different ethnic minority farmers. As an awardee of the John Allwright Fellowship in 2016, Ms Nga will undertake a Masters of Applied Anthropology and Participatory Development at the Australian National University. She believes that this will equip her with the necessary conceptual frameworks, knowledge and skills for her work as an agriculture researcher in Vietnam and the Asia- Pacific.

John Allwright fellowship

Mrs Nguyen Thi Thu Hien

Ms Le Thi Hang Nga

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TRAINING CORNER<aciar.gov.au>

John Dillon fellowshipThe two candidates selected for the leadership course in Australia under ACIAR’s John Dillon Fellowship this year are Dr Luu Ngoc Quyen, Deputy Director of NOMAFSI and Dr Tran Minh, Deputy Director of SFRI.

Dr Luu Ngoc Quyen is the current Deputy Director of Northern Mountainous of Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (NOMAFSI). He has extensive expertise on agricultural system research in northern mountainous areas of Vietnam and technical solution on sustainable agriculture.

Dr Luu Ngoc Quyen is the current Deputy Director of Northern Mountainous of Agriculture and Forestry Science Institute (NOMAFSI). He has extensive expertise on agricultural systems research in northern mountainous areas of Vietnam and technical solutions for sustainable agriculture.

Dr Quyen has worked with ACIAR on two projects, AGB/2012/060: ‘Increasing competitiveness and market access of smallholders in the north western Vietnam to regional temperate fruit markets’ and FST/2010/034: 'Agroforestry for livelihoods of smallholder farmers in North-West Vietnam’

Dr Tran Minh Tien is currently the Deputy Director of Soil and Fertilizers Research Institute (SFRI) in Hanoi, assuming the responsibility of managing international cooperation. He has been working with ACIAR in several projects, including AGB/2012/059: ‘Towards more profitable and sustainable vegetable production systems in north-western Vietnam’.

Mr. Tien received his Ph. D degree in Soil Fertility and Plant Nutrition at the University of Copenhagen, Denmark, in 2009.

We wish them a wonderful journey in Australia.

Dr Tran Minh Tien

Dr Luu Ngoc Quyen

TRAINING CORNER<aciar.gov.au>

Being a researcher in agriculture, I’m a regular traveller.. To other provinces of Vietnam, to neighbouring countries, to distant countries in Europe; for field trips, workshops, visiting, training or getting a higher education – my journeys seem to be a continuous cycle in my inspired life of working, studying, and exploring. Among those, going to Australia is so special that I will always talk about it with love from my heart.

A place where kind people are always around

In 2012, as an awardee of ACIAR’s John Allwright Fellowship (JAF), I had the opportunity to go to Australia to undertake a PhD course at the University of Canberra. I feel lucky that I was able to meet and work with my supervisors who I can share any problem with because I know they are willing to support me. I am also greatly impressed by primary teachers here, who care about not only childrens’ study performance but also their behaviour and emotion. Everywhere I go, I often see people smiling and being supportive.

A place where we begin

In most of my journeys for work or study, I went alone without my family. However, on this journey to Australia, my son and my husband are my travelling companions. We are on the same journey to Australia but each of us has our own journey to experience. For me, a PhD student, I am on a journey to explore new ideas that are meaningful to science and useful in practice. My son and my husband have started to get accustomed to a new environment, one that they have never experienced

before. Even with a similar routine of getting up in the morning, going to school, to work, back home, having dinner, going out, having fun with friends like in Vietnam, we are living a very different life here in Australia. In Vietnam, living in a crowded city with extensive relationships with relatives, colleagues and friends make us busier compared to living in quieter but beautiful Canberra with more green space and wildlife. Day by day, three of us study, work, face challenges, help each other, and have more time together to enjoy the happiness of normal little things in life.

A place where we are proud of our culture

It is said that Australia is one of the most culturally diversified countries. This helps me feel like I am at home and makes it easier to socialise. I told my mother that I preferred to buy food in Australia than in Vietnam because I could find Asian ingredients easily and satisfy my passion of cooking. We are so proud of our Vietnamese cuisine. Every time we go out with friends from different countries, people always have to try Vietnamese dishes quickly before it is too late. This pride multiplies when we can participate in Viet-festival, which is organised by a Vietnamese community annually.

Therefore, if people ask me how much I love Australia, I would tell them that Australia evokes a love in my heart becuase of the people I have met and the great time I have had with my family. That love will lead to our success in this journey.

Australia, full of love from

my heart

By Pham Thi Hanh Tho, PhD candidate, University of Canberra

Tho and her husband at a grape gardenVợ chồng chị Thơ tại vườn nho

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8 Dao Tan Street, Ba Dinh, Hanoi . Tel: (84 4) 3 7740 100 . Fax: (84 4) 3 813 7707Web: aciar.gov.au / vietnam.embassy.gov.au

Oysters of the first selection generationHàu chọn giống thế hệ thứ nhất

Dr Henri Bailleres investigating a lathe of one peeling householdTS Henri Bailleres xem xét máy bóc của một hộ sản xuất ván mỏng

Researchers from rice-shrimp project in Ca Mau provinceCác nghiên cứu viên của dự án tôm-lúa tại tỉnh Cà Mau

Mr Do Sy An from NOMAFSI in a scoping study for an ACIAR projectAnh Đỗ Sỹ An từ NOMAFSI tham gia nghiên cứu khảo sát cho một dự án của ACIAR